What Are the Chances
by bbflabradors
Summary: Jack and Elizabeth have never met. However, a weekend away with their respective friends may change all of that. They are each under misconceptions, assuming that the cards are not in their favor. What are the chances that they could be wrong?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters within this story. All rights and much respect go to Crown Media, Hallmark, Brian Bird, Michael Landon, Jr., the actors, creators, and writers of the show "When Calls the Heart."**

 _ **Chapter 1- Summer in the Sand**_

 _ **North Carolina State University…**_

As her name was called, she stood and elegantly crossed the stage to accept her Master's Degree in Education. She stood next to Dr. Marion Daniels, Dean of Education, as her father repeatedly snapped picture after picture of the pair. She stepped off the stage and returned to her seat.

Following the ceremony she was enthusiastically greeted by several of her Phi Sigma Theta sorority sisters as they hustled her out into the parking lot.

"Are you packed?" Hadley Jones asked.

"I am, but since I didn't know where we're going, I wasn't sure what to pack," Elizabeth replied.

"Not much if we have anything to say about it," Hadley replied.

"Stop it girls. You know that's not me. So, where are we going?" Elizabeth asked.

Abby Avery, Elizabeth's nearest and dearest friend spoke up, "Summer in the Sand festival at Wrightsville Beach in Wilmington. All you need are shorts, bathing suits, and a nice dress to go out to that fabulous seafood restaurant at the marina, which also happens to be attached to our hotel for the weekend."

"There are going to be a boatload of handsome guys there too. You can have your pick of any of them, Elizabeth," Raven Ackerman remarked.

"Come on, you know me and I haven't changed since we graduated. I'm not into hook ups…never will be, so don't push it," Elizabeth reminded them.

"Elizabeth, they are just teasing you. I'm married so I'll hang out with you…that is until Bill gets to town tomorrow night," Abby stated.

Katie Yost held up her keys, "I have the biggest vehicle; pile in and let's go. Anything you need but don't have, you can buy when we get there."

Elizabeth and the others piled into Katie's Suburban, leaving Raleigh on I-440 and headed toward the coast and fun in the sun.

The six women had been best of friends since pledging in the Phi Sigma Theta sorority as freshmen at NC State University. All of them graduated together with Abby, and Raven moving away to start their careers. Katie continued on at the Veterinary School, moving to Atlanta, Georgia following graduation.

Abby went on to culinary school and opened a restaurant in Washington, DC. Rosemary completed paralegal school and moved back to Raleigh where she was employed by a prestigious legal firm. Hadley moved to Virginia where she attended medical school, and was now a practicing pediatrician in Baltimore, Maryland. Last but not least, Raven had found it difficult to find a job in her field, Public Administration, so she covered her bills by waiting tables at Captain Jack's by the Bay, located in Nags Head, NC.

Jack stepped out into the hallway at the 3rd Precinct humbly accepting the applause of his brothers and sisters in blue. Everyone considered him to be the single suitable candidate for the only detective position that had opened in recent years, and they were right.

Jack was a hard worker; he took his job seriously, but after working weekends for the past two months he was looking forward to a little fun. "So, where are you guys taking me?"

"It's a surprise, but I understand that it is a smorgasbord of beautiful women," Kyle Morris stated.

"I hate surprises. Where are we going?" Jack asked again.

"Summer in the Sand Festival at Wrightsville Beach in Wilmington," Jack's close friend, Lee Coulter admitted.

"Look guys, I appreciate the time away and I'm sure that we'll have a great time but I'll find a woman on my own…no hookups for me, okay?" Jack remarked.

"Sure thing, but we're going to blow off some steam, so I say if anyone asks, we're from Boston," Kyle joked as the others laughed.

David Taylor, a close friend of Jack's but a rookie on the police force boldly remarked, "That's right…what happens in Wilmington, stays in Wilmington!"

Jack, Lee, Kyle, David and dispatcher Steven Fisher climbed into Kyle's Ford Explorer and left for their weekend adventure.

The women arrived at their destination as Abby and Katie stepped inside the Shell Island Resort, located right on Wrightsville Beach to check in. They secured three rooms, one for socializing, and the other two were split up with three women in one and two in the other. That is until tomorrow night when Abby secured another room for her and her husband, Bill.

Elizabeth stepped outside onto the boardwalk and was captivated by the waves crashing onto the shore. She stepped back inside and headed toward the elevator with her friends just as a group of men entered the office to check in.

"Did you see that?" David asked Kyle.

"I sure did," he replied. "I think this is going to be a very memorable weekend."

"Stop it guys. Can't we just have a nice weekend, maybe a round of golf, and some good food without it being about women?" Jack asked.

"WOW, he must not have seen them," Kyle joked.

"Jack, don't you know that everything is eventually about women?" David joked. "We're going to get you a woman this weekend."

"Guys, I don't need a woman in my life right now. I need to put all of my energy into my new job, Time for a woman will come later. Besides, I don't want the kind of woman you're talking about," Jack scoffed.

"Okay Jack; tell us what you're looking for…" David pushed for more information.

"I'm not talking about this in the lobby. It's personal; I'll know her when I meet her, and I don't think it will be here," Jack stated as they approached the counter as a group.

They secured three rooms. Jack had his own room as this was a celebration weekend for him making detective. Kyle was rooming with David and Lee was bunking with Steven.

They headed to the elevator and the fifth floor where their three rooms were adjoining. Once the elevator door opened on the third floor, they heard women laughing as they approached the door.

Hadley squeezed into the elevator before Elizabeth advised, "Hey Hadley, this is going up. We need to wait for the next one."

Hadley smiled at the men inside as she backed out of the elevator.

"Hey, you can still ride up with us," Steven's voice was heard coming from the back although he was blocked by David and Kyle.

"We're heading to the beach; maybe we'll see you there," Hadley mentioned as the door closed.

When the doors opened on the fifth floor, Kyle and David rushed to their room.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Jack asked.

"Didn't you see them Jack? They're heading to the beach…we're heading to the beach. Stay here if you want, but we're making the most of this weekend," David stated as he pulled his swim trunks from his bag and headed for the bathroom.

Jack opened the door to his room and sat his bag on the bed before heading to the balcony and his spectacular view of the beach. He rested his arms on the railing as he people watched.

He had to admit, there were some beautiful women who were apparently there to enjoy the festival, but one woman seemed to stand out. She was of average height, with long, curly auburn hair that at the present time was pulled up into a loose ponytail. She was wearing a modest one piece teal bathing suit, and was gorgeous, reminding him of a Baywatch beauty.

Although the guys thought he wasn't paying attention, she had certainly caught his eye from the back of the elevator. Jack had to admit that he'd never forget those piercing blue eyes of hers…maybe there were some things that were all about women, he thought.

*Knock…knock*

Jack opened the door to find Lee and Steven standing in the hallway.

"Come on Jack; get on your trunks. We're heading to the beach," Lee advised. "We'll meet you downstairs."

Five minutes later, Jack exited the elevator on his way to the beach.

"Whoa, we'll never lose you in those," Lee joked as he commented on Jack's orange swim trunks.

Jack, Lee and Steven headed for the beach and the bevy of beauties that awaited them.

"Hey," Kyle ran up to the group. "There's a bonfire tonight on the beach at a hotel down the strip. We've been invited."

"Sounds good," Jack responded as he found an unoccupied lounge chair, took a seat and continued his people watching. However, if truth be told, he was really only watching for one person.

Unfortunately he didn't come across her the entire afternoon. However, the more he thought about it, was meeting her for a day or two, and then heading in their separate ways worth it? "What's the chance that we will see each other after this weekend?" he asked himself. What were the chances? Mathematically speaking they would seem to be slim to none.

That evening men and women from hotels along the strip ventured down to the Marriott as they took the opportunity to meet new people. There were multiple beer kegs, and coolers filled with water and soft drinks for those who did not want alcohol.

Jack walked with his friends the three blocks along the boardwalk, eventually arriving at the bonfire. He could only imagine that the large number of people there would rival spring break in Ft. Lauderdale.

He realized that even if this woman attended the bonfire, with the number of people already there, he felt an incredibly slim chance that they would even see each other. As such, he decided to put her out of his mind, and simply enjoy himself and the new people he was likely to meet.

"Jack," Kyle called out.

"Hey, did you find a seat?" Jack replied.

"No, but those girls that are at our hotel are sitting over here. One of them invited us to join them," Kyle responded.

Jack thought that maybe, just maybe this was his chance to meet her, only to be disappointed when she still was nowhere in sight.

Jack sat down next to Katie…

"Hi, I'm Jack…"

"Hi Jack, I'm Katie. Where are you from?" she asked.

Knowing that Jack was not one to fib, Steven blurted out, "We're from Boston."

Before Jack could correct the statement, Katie was pulled away by Abby.

"Hey, I know we're the same age, but I just want to tell you to be careful. I'm married, so I'm not looking for one night stands, but you just need to watch yourself…"

"Abby, I'm 28 years old and I am very careful. Don't worry about me," Katie stated as she headed back to her seat.

"Sorry, but I do," Abby whispered.

"I believe I saw you and your friends when we arrived earlier," Jack asked Katie as she returned to her seat.

"Yes, I remember seeing you and your friends," she replied. "My friend, Elizabeth, just received her Master's Degree. We're her sorority sisters, so we brought her on this little weekend getaway."

"Where are ya'll from?" Jack asked.

Hearing "you" instead of "ya'll" Katie responded, "Atlanta, Georgia."

"So, where is the rest of your group?" Jack asked.

"Well, Abby has a husband, so she's not interested in meeting a lot of people. I think Hadley, Raven and Rosemary have met guys and they are just getting to know each other," Katie giggled.

"Hey," Steven stopped beside Katie's chair, "Would you like to go for a walk?"

Leaving Jack alone, Katie agreed and they walked down the beach away from the bonfire.

Seeing Elizabeth standing alone by the water, Katie broke away from Steven and ran to her. "Hey, those guys we saw when we checked in are here tonight," she motioned over to Steven to come join them.

"Elizabeth, this is Steven…Steven, this is my dear friend, Elizabeth," Katie completed the introductions. "They are from Boston."

"WOW, that sure was a long drive for just the weekend," Elizabeth replied as a slight wind began to blow her hair across her face.

"It's not too far when you meet someone as sweet as this one right here," he stated as he motioned toward Katie.

"Well, we're walking, so I'll see you later…maybe" Katie's voice trailed off to a whisper as they walked away.

Standing by the fire, Jack observed Kyle talking with one of Katie's friends. Although he didn't know her name, he did recognize seeing her with the group earlier in the day. They looked like they were getting along nicely, and although he was happy for them, he couldn't help feeling a bit left out.

Jack decided to take a walk, feeling the need to break away from the hustle of guys and girls looking for hook ups for the evening. That was certainly not what he was looking for, but thought if nothing else, a walk on the beach would be relaxing.

Jack took his time as he had no place pressing to be. Until he saw her…a few blocks away from the bonfire, talking with Katie and Steven, and there she was the woman he'd seen upon his arrival; the woman that he learned was named Elizabeth, and certainly the woman that he wanted to meet.

He casually approached her; it was late, but the lights from the waterside hotels illuminated the beach.

"Good evening," Jack stated as he walked up. ""You probably don't remember me, but we checked into the hotel just after you and your friends," he stated to remind her.

Elizabeth remembered, but pretended otherwise, "I'm sorry, I wasn't really paying attention."

"My name is Jack…"

His voice was soft, romantic and made the butterflies flutter in her stomach just with his mere introduction. Although she found him quite handsome, this was a weekend trip for all involved. It offered hardly a chance to take the time to get to know someone, and certainly the type of situation where one night stands are made, truly not what she was looking for. Also, he lives in Boston, and she in Raleigh, "It's not worth the effort to get to know each other," she thought.

Being polite she replied, "Hi, I'm Elizabeth."

"Beautiful evening; isn't it?" he responded.

"Yes it is. There is nothing like a full moon over the water," she stated as a breeze swept through and she shivered slightly.

Jack peeled off his jacket and draped it around her shoulders.

"Thank you…" she made note of this chivalrous act, wondering if he would turn out to be like 99% of the men she had met that evening, and the reason that she had left the bonfire.

Kyle walked up with Hadley, and David was holding hands with Raven as they approached Jack and Elizabeth.

"Where's Rosemary," Elizabeth asked. "She was with you a little while ago."

Hadley spoke up, "She went back to the bonfire with their friend, Lee."

Kyle gently shoved Jack, "Come on, get your girl; we're headed to this place called the point."

"Hadley…Raven, that's not a great idea…" Elizabeth scolded them.

"Don't worry; we're going with a group. We'll be fine," Raven replied as they headed back toward the hotel and their vehicles.

David pulled Raven along with him before turning back toward Jack, "Come on…you and your girl need to come with us."

Feeling sad that he seemed to be turning out like all the others, Elizabeth turned to Jack and stated, "You probably need to keep looking. I'm not interested in a hook up." She handed him back his jacket and headed toward the hotel.

"Why do I let them talk me into these adventures? They know I don't sleep around, and I just end up mad at being left behind," she talked softly to herself as she walked away from him.

"Hey…HEY…How dare you…" Jack yelled out to her causing her to stop and turn around.

"How dare I what?" she called back to him.

"How dare you assume that all I'm looking for is a hook up for the night," he stated with a touch of anger in his voice.

Elizabeth glanced over toward his friends who were walking away. "I guess I just assumed that since your friends were inviting you that it was something you did regularly."

"So I guess I could assume the same thing about you since your friends are the ones accompanying them," Jack remarked.

"Good point. I'm sorry for the assumption. I hope you have a nice evening," Elizabeth stated as she turned around and headed back toward the hotel.

"Do you have to go back so soon?" he called out, getting her to stop once again.

"No, I guess I don't have to leave. Besides, apparently my friends have left me in the dust," she sadly admitted.

"Do you want to walk, or would you like a cup of coffee? There's a shop, I think it's called The Daily Grind about a block away," he suggested.

"Coffee would be great," she responded as her body shivered from the breeze coming off the water.

Jack draped his jacket over her shoulders again and they walked toward the coffee shop.

Elizabeth took a seat in a booth while Jack went up to get their coffee. She glanced at her watch, 9:35pm, and although she was cautious, there was something about him that had her intrigued.

They talked and laughed about many topics including family, animals, special holidays, and even more controversial subjects like religion, male vs. female roles, and a few mild political topics.

"Excuse me, it's almost midnight and we're getting ready to close," the barista advised.

Elizabeth glanced at her watch a second time, 11:47pm, and she realized that they had talked nonstop for over two hours.

They walked to the door and before stepping outside Jack gave her his jacket. They continued along the boardwalk, heading toward their hotel as they passed couple after couple standing along the railing seemingly quite close.

Although they were enjoying their time together, the fact that they lived so far apart left each one questioning the feasibility of pursuing anything further.

Jack walked her to her room, "Elizabeth… would you have dinner with me tomorrow night?"

"Thank you for asking, but really, is there any point? I mean in a day you head home and I head home, and we won't ever see each other again," she disappointedly turned him down.

"Elizabeth, it's just dinner," he prodded further.

"Thank you Jack, but I have plans with my sorority sisters. It was really nice meeting you. Thanks for a lovely evening. If things were different, maybe…" Elizabeth responded before opening her hotel room.

He watched her walk away and assumed that maybe it was for the best. He didn't need to become involved with anyone right now while he was establishing himself in his new career. Besides, with her living in Atlanta, and him in Raleigh, the distance was just too far to make any real relationship work. So why even start anything?

She could feel his eyes on her as she entered her room. Part of her wanted to have dinner with him; to see why he was different from most of the other men she had met. However, with him living in Boston and her in Raleigh, the distance was just too far to make any real relationship work. So why even start anything?

Although they each nonchalantly looked for the other the following day, they were disappointed when their paths never crossed.

Abby's husband Bill stopped off on his way home from a conference to spend Saturday night with her. The other girls chose to spend time with the guys they'd met before leaving for home the following morning.

Elizabeth was startled as Rosemary entered the room unexpectedly, "What are you doing here? I thought you were spending some time with…what is his name?"

"Lee, and we are, but I wanted to see if you wanted to go to dinner with us…please?" she asked.

"I don't want to impose," Elizabeth remarked.

"It is no imposition and I won't take no for an answer," Rosemary stated.

"Okay, if you're sure that I'm not imposing," Elizabeth commented.

"I'm sure, now go put on that something fancy that you brought," Rosemary suggested.

Elizabeth walked out a few minutes later wearing a little black dress and flats. Her legs were tanned so pantyhose were not required, and her hair was pulled up on the sides and held with pearl clips.

"You look beautiful. He'll be excited," Rosemary's voice trailed off as she spoke.

"Excuse me?" Elizabeth asked.

"Oh nothing; you look beautiful. Come on, let's get going;"Rosemary suggested.

They walked into the restaurant downstairs and approached the hostess. They were directed to a table outside where they could enjoy the boat traffic entering and exiting the harbor.

As they approached the table, Elizabeth saw him…it was Jack. She stopped Rosemary, "What did you do?"

"Elizabeth, don't be so dramatic. He is a friend of Lee's and he didn't have any plans tonight either. It's just dinner," Rosemary chided.

They approached the table and Jack turned back from the harbor. He immediately stood and held her chair out for her.

He leaned in and whispered, "So, I get to have dinner with you after all," he was all smiles.

She returned the smile, "It appears so."

"Do you two know each other?" Lee asked.

"Yes, we met last night," Jack responded.

The conversation flowed between all parties. However no mention was made of their hometowns or last names. With each one "knowing" where the other hailed from, they chose to take whatever time they had and simply enjoy themselves.

Following dinner they stepped next door to the lounge to listen to some music. They found the live band to be particularly entertaining.

"Would you like to dance?" Jack asked as Lee and Rosemary left the table and headed for the dance floor.

She took the hand he offered as he helped her stand. The upbeat song ended just as they took to the floor with a slow tune following close behind.

The band began, and Elizabeth immediately identified it as a favorite of hers…A Thousand Years by Christina Perri.

Heart beats fast  
Colors and promises  
How to be brave  
How can I love when I'm afraid to fall  
But watching you stand alone  
All of my doubt, suddenly goes away somehow

One step closer

I have died every day, waiting for you  
Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years  
I'll love you for a thousand more

Time stands still  
Beauty in all she is  
I will be brave  
I will not let anything, take away  
What's standing in front of me  
Every breath, every hour has come to this

One step closer

I have died every day, waiting for you  
Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years  
I'll love you for a thousand more

And all along I believed, I would find you  
Time has brought your heart to me, I have loved you for a thousand years  
I'll love you for a thousand more

One step closer  
One step closer

I have died every day, waiting for you  
Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years  
I'll love you for a thousand more

And all along I believed, I would find you  
Time has brought your heart to me, I have loved you for a thousand years  
I'll love you for a thousand more

As the music played, she wondered if he listened to the lyrics. They were beautiful words and although people called her a hopeless romantic, she believed in her heart that one day, the man of her dreams would find her…not that she assume him to be Jack, however.

As they danced and he held her in his arms, there was something so comforting about her body pressed up against his. As he inhaled, he was certain that he would forever remember the floral scent of her perfume, the soft touch of her skin, and the melodic sound of her breathing on his neck.

Jack walked Elizabeth back to her room as Lee and Rosemary enjoyed a nightcap in the lounge. As she stood by her door, Jack leaned in and kissed her cheek. "I have really enjoyed meeting you Elizabeth. I'm just sorry that we live so far apart. But…do you think maybe we could keep in touch?"

Elizabeth looked down before catching his gaze; completely disappointed in the hand she was dealt she stated, "Jack, I have really enjoyed meeting you. You know it's rather cliché but if it were at another time or place maybe things would be different. I just don't see it helping either one of us to stay in touch."

"But you never know, things could change," he stated softly, as his voice brought about the same butterflies fluttering in her stomach again.

"I think its best that we just say goodbye, but I'd like to thank you," she stated as she slid her key card into the lock on her door.

"Thank me for what?" he asked.

"For showing me that not all guys are jerks, simply out for one thing, and I'm fairly certain you know what I'm referring to," she stated as she felt a rosiness rising from her neck upward.

"Elizabeth, I just..." he looked down as he took her hand and then met her eyes again with his. "I don't want to say goodbye to you. I don't know what we can do, but I just have the feeling that something will change."

"Jack I can't. For whatever reason, we were meant to meet, but that's all. I hope you know that I've really enjoyed meeting you. You're so easy to talk to," she stated as she leaned in and gently brushed her lips across his. "Take care of yourself."

As her door closed, separating them possibly forever, they each felt a sense of loss and an unexplainable feeling of sadness.

The following morning Elizabeth's group and Jack's group were all loading up to head home. Jack made note of the license plate on the Suburban that Elizabeth was driving…Georgia tags, and it seemed even more disappointedly real.

"Hey Elizabeth," Hadley and Raven stated in unison, "We just wanted you to know that although we were late getting in last night, we were ladies, and didn't do anything that we're ashamed of."

"Well, the fact is that it isn't any of my business. I just worry about you. It isn't safe to go off with people you don't know," she responded, realizing that although she and Jack didn't do anything that she regretted, the fact was that she really didn't know him either. But the truth was, she really did want to get to know him, and was sad that their short time together had come to an end.

Back home they each headed. Next week, Jack would be starting in on his new position as a detective with the Raleigh Police Department. Although Elizabeth was on summer break from her position as a 1st grade teacher, she was starting her second career as a college professor, teaching an elementary education class at her alma mater, North Carolina State University, located in Raleigh, North Carolina.

It was Sunday night; Elizabeth had returned home to her extremely happy black Labrador Retriever, Baloo; thanked her neighbor for taking care of him for the weekend, and settled into the comfort of her sofa with her journal.

She reflected on the weekend, her offensive accusation of Jack's agenda, how her enjoyment at meeting him surprised her, and how she seriously doubted that they would ever see each other again. She flipped through her journal, her fifth one; this one filled with writings from the past year, and she settled on the next blank page. She took a deep breath, clicked her pen into operating mode and began to convey her thoughts and feelings onto the paper…

" _ **We glance about, often gauging the happiness and satisfaction in our lives by what we see displayed by others. Material things, although having the ability to bring temporary joy, whither and decay with time. Although not material in nature, the love we feel, give and receive in return can be easily seen and felt in the gentle touch of a hand, the soft whisper of a kind word, a tender kiss and a generous and giving heart.**_

 _ **Is it true that there is one special someone out there for each of us? If we meet, but the timing isn't right, have we lost our chance at true love and happiness? The fact is that personal euphoria can't be dependent upon the actions of others. Although it is often enhanced by their presence, it is also extremely unfair to place the responsibility on the shoulders of another.**_

 _ **Finding joy in the simple pleasures allows us to open our hearts completely, experiencing everything, but expecting nothing. However, how we handle those opportunities is upon us, and regretting chances presented but not taken may leave us with an emptiness that may never be filled completely.**_

 _ **So we do our best to live life to the fullest; we take those chances that we can, and we accept where we are led. Who knows, maybe the closing of this door will open opportunities that we have never even dreamed to be possible. Being ready and willing to forge ahead will be the key to my eventual success."**_

Several weeks passed; although Jack and Elizabeth attempted to put their meeting of each other behind them, neither had been able to do so.

Elizabeth spent her evenings working on lesson plans or commiserating with Rosemary over lost opportunities.

Jack was busy learning the requirements of his new position with the police department. However, when not working, his mind wandered to the beautiful woman with long, wavy auburn hair, and captivating blue eyes who unfortunately lived two states away.

He wasn't alone in his thoughts…Lee also found himself thinking about the boisterous woman who was different from every other female he knew, and her image remained with him as well.

"Hey, what are you doing down here?" Jack asked as Lee walked into his office.

"I was downtown getting a building permit for a job and thought maybe we could go to lunch at The Brickhouse," he replied.

"Sounds good, but do you know what sounds even better?" Jack asked, hesitating slightly.

"What? You have some place else you'd rather eat? Lee asked.

"No, The Brickhouse is fine. I was thinking about going to Atlanta this weekend to see Tom," Jack mentioned.

"Hmm, sounds fun," Lee smirked. "You really aren't going to see Tom though."

"What are you talking about? I haven't seen my brother since Christmas, and on that occasion he came here," Jack reminded him.

"I remember, but you're going to Atlanta to find Elizabeth," Lee teased.

"To find Elizabeth? Are you crazy? I don't even know her last name. Although I am a detective; I should be able to find her," Jack rambled.

"Well, if you see Elizabeth, see if you can find out where Rosemary is," Lee looked off into the distance as he spoke. "I have to be honest, I don't know why, but I miss her."

"Well come with me. I have a CPR recertification that I have to do Friday morning, but I could leave around noon," Jack encouraged him.

"You know, it's stupid, and no way we're going to find them, but we certainly won't see them again if we stay here," Lee smiled at the thought of seeing Rosemary again. "I tried to find Rosemary on Facebook and Instagram, but since I don't know her last name, I was out of luck."

"At least I'm not the only one who tried that too," Jack admitted with a frustrated release of a breath.

It was Wednesday evening, 6:30, when Elizabeth's phone rang…

"Hello…"

"Hey, Elizabeth. I'm bringing Chinese food over, so don't eat. Do you have any wine…?"

"Rosemary, you know I always have wine," Elizabeth admitted.

Twenty minutes later Elizabeth's doorbell rang.

"Come on in…Hmm, it smells scrumptious," Elizabeth stated as she took the bag from the local Chinese restaurant and placed it on her kitchen table.

"Elizabeth, I wanted to talk with you about something," Rosemary sounded somewhat depressed.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing really, but I was thinking about driving up to Boston this weekend, and thought you might like to come with me," Rosemary suggested.

"Boston? What's in Boston?" Elizabeth asked, pretending that she didn't know.

"You know what's in Boston, or rather who's in Boston," Rosemary replied.

"You'll never find him. That's like looking for a needle in a haystack," Elizabeth joked.

"But I can't stop thinking about him, and I know you're thinking about Jack too," Rosemary prodded. "Elizabeth, that dog of yours is trying to get the bag off the table."

"I am not thinking about Jack, and Baloo, you've already eaten," Elizabeth sounded somewhat defensive.

Rosemary picked up Elizabeth's phone to show her the locked screen, "Then why have you saved the selfie of you two?"

"It doesn't matter. If he was interested in me, he would have asked for my number or something," Elizabeth replied.

"Elizabeth…"

"What…?"

"He did want to keep in touch with you, but you didn't want to…"

"Rosemary, it's not that I didn't want to, but he lives in Boston. We live in Raleigh. Even if we had a relationship, which I'm not saying we would have, it's too hard to be that far away. I was just being practical…"

Elizabeth continued, "I'll go on with my life; he will too. It's certainly not healthy to be pining after someone that you can't have. Trust me, in the long run we'll be better off."

"So, it's settled…you'll come with me to Boston," Rosemary assumed.

"What? I didn't say that. I'll think about it, but no promises," Elizabeth remarked as she poured two glasses of wine.

"I'm leaving around noon on Friday…you will be going with me. Do I pick you up here, or at school?" Rosemary asked.

"Rosemary, I have to make arrangements for Baloo if I go away. I mean, I can't just fill him a bowl of food and water and leave him alone for days," Elizabeth reminded her.

"What about your next door neighbor? I mean the one who took care of him when we went to Wilmington," Rosemary suggested.

"I'll call her tomorrow," Elizabeth promised. "If I can go, you can pick me up at school. I have a meeting with the education department Friday morning.

Friday arrived; Elizabeth made arrangements for her next door neighbor to take care of Baloo. She was packed, and surprisingly excited about the possibility of seeing Jack again, no matter how remote the chances were that they would actually find him.

"Where is this CPR class…?" Jack texted David.

"Education Department, Building #2, Rm. #170…" David replied.

"Hate the Education building. Never any parking available…"

"That's building #1. Building #2 has parking around back. Hurry up; it's filling up fast…"

Jack eventually found a parking space next to a dark green Jeep Cherokee. He wasn't sure why, but the license plate caught his eye…"2L8IWIN" and he made a mental note of it before rushing inside. He found David and they grabbed a cup of coffee before taking their seats.

"Hey, what are you doing this evening?" David asked.

"Lee and I are heading to Atlanta to visit my brother. Why?" Jack asked.

"I have a date and I was going to set you up with her best friend…she's gorgeous," David responded.

"Thanks, but I'm not interested in blind dates. Besides, I haven't seen my brother is quite a while," Jack remarked.

"Wait…Atlanta, isn't that where those girls were from that we met in Wilmington?" David asked.

"Hmm, was it?" Jack stated as he inwardly smiled.

Elizabeth was grateful to be leaving her meeting. Two hours listening to Dr. Gregory's monotone was more than she could stand. Even a 10 hour drive to Boston sounded more appetizing.

She headed down the hall; making one final stop at her office to pick up her bag and then off with Rosemary to start their adventure.

Jack was thankful that his CPR class was over. He was certified for another year, and now he could turn his attentions to his trip to Atlanta with Lee.

Elizabeth exited at one end of the building just as Jack was walking out the other. She had the back of her Jeep Cherokee open as she straightened things before pulling her bag out. Rosemary was due to pick her up in a few minutes.

Jack walked up and hit his key fob, opening the driver's side door to his F150 pickup truck. He noticed the back up on the Jeep beside him and was curious as to the owner of the vehicle, so he sat and waited.

The wind shifted as it went from north-south to east-west, and it flowed through his open window. He inhaled. He turned his head slightly and he smelled it again; that distinctive floral scent…her perfume.

He heard the trunk close and glanced back, immediately smiling without any further thought. Then it hit him…

His door flew open, "Elizabeth, is that you?"

She looked up but it was difficult to read the surprise on her face.

His heart pounded. Had she been here the whole time? "You don't remember me…"

"Hi Jack," she smiled as she felt her heart in her throat. "Of course I remember you."

"I thought you lived in Atlanta," he commented as he jumped from his truck and walked around her vehicle.

They hugged, and although there should have been a slight awkwardness, there wasn't. Neither one realized it at the time, but they were home!

As they separated, Elizabeth responded, "What gave you the idea that I lived in Atlanta? Besides, I thought you lived in Boston."

"I was talking to your friend, Katie, and she said that ya'll were from Atlanta," he responded.

"Katie is from Atlanta, but I'm from here," she replied.

"What are you doing here? Pretty far away from Boston," she remarked.

"I don't live in Boston. It's something that a couple of the guys came up with. You know, like what happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas?" he explained.

"Oh, so you lied?" she challenged him, suddenly feeling stupid that she spent time thinking about him when he was just like the rest.

"No, I never said I was from Boston, and when I tried to correct my friend, someone interrupted us. I'm a detective with the Raleigh Police Department," he corrected her.

His heart was pounding so loud that he could feel the throbbing in his ears. How was it possible that she was here all the time? He had no answer, but he did know that he needed to learn more about her.

"We were never formally introduced; I'm Jack Thornton," he stated. He wanted to kiss her soft, plump lips, and knew that he'd be thinking about them for the rest of the day, but he stretched out his arm to shake her hand instead.

She smiled, feeling her own heart pounding so soundly that she was certain he could see her chest popping with every beat.

"It's nice to meet you, Jack Thornton. I'm Elizabeth Thatcher," she replied.

To be continued…


	2. Chapter 2- Friendship vs Romance

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters within this story. All rights and much respect go to Crown Media, Hallmark, Brian Bird, Michael Landon, Jr., the actors, creators, and writers of the show "When Calls the Heart."**

 _ **Chapter 2- Friendship vs. Romance  
**_

"WOW, I can't believe that you were here the whole time," Jack stated.

"Here the whole time…what do you mean?" she asked.

Suddenly feeling slightly stalker-ish, he nervously replied, "Oh nothing; it's just odd that we would meet several hours away, and yet we both live in the same city. That's all I meant."

As they chatted by her vehicle, neither one wanted to leave, nor did they want to seem too overzealous.

"Are you a student here?" Jack asked, knowing that she had received her Master's recently, he wondered if she was continuing her education.

"I just earned my Master's Degree," she replied.

"I think your friend, Katie, may have mentioned that," he responded, knowing full well that she had.

"I'm a first grade teacher at Cary Elementary School, but I teach an introduction to Elementary Education course here," she explained.

"Hey, you ready to hit the road?" Rosie pulled up beside them, rolled down her window and spoke before identifying the man standing beside Elizabeth.

"We don't need to go, Rosie," Elizabeth replied as she glanced over in Jack's direction.

"I'm sorry; I don't mean to hold you up. Where are you girls heading out to?" Jack asked.

"The Mall; there is a shoe sale at The Street Walker today only," Rosie stated quickly.

Jack's phone chimed signifying a text…

"Your class over yet? I want to get on the road…"

Jack didn't want to be rude and respond in front of them. "Hey, would you girls like to go to lunch? I was supposed to meet Lee at the Chinese buffet.

Elizabeth glanced back at Rosie; "I'm free if you are Rosie."

"I don't have any pressing plans. Lunch sounds great," Rosie stated as she couldn't believe their good fortune.

"Are you talking about the Ten-Ten Buffet on Western Blvd.?" Rosie asked.

"Yes, is that okay?" Jack replied to which both women quickly responded in the affirmative.

"We'll meet you there," Elizabeth stated as she nonchalantly shuffled her overnight bag back into her Jeep Cherokee.

As Elizabeth slipped into Rosie's car, Jack quickly texted Lee…

"No need to go. They r here. Come behind the Education Building and pick me up. We r having lunch w/ them…"

"R u kidding me…? I won't forgive u if u r…"

"I'm serious. Both of them live here. Hurry up they r waiting on us 4 lunch…"

"I'll b there n 10…"

"Make it 5…"

Jack stood by his truck and was prepared to answer all of Lee's questions once he arrived.

Elizabeth and Rosie drove off, silent, saying nothing until they were about a block away…

"Are you kidding me? They have been here the whole time? WOW, what luck," Rosie squealed, her tone seemed to be at least two octaves higher than normal.

"Rosie, don't go overboard. I know you like Lee, and Jack seems really nice too, but we need to take things slowly. You know, take some time to get to know them," Elizabeth suggested.

"Oh Elizabeth, you are always so cautious. Let go and live a little girl. We may only have these experiences once, so enjoy them," Rosie began her sermon.

"I don't want to hear that, Rosie. I know what I'm looking for in a companion…"

"Companion? Are we talking about dogs?" Rosie laughed.

"You know what I mean," Elizabeth remarked as they pulled into the parking lot.

"Elizabeth, I just don't want you be so careful that you turn your back on something that could be wonderful…okay?" Rosie responded.

"I understand, and I'm interested enough in Jack to see if it will go anywhere. But we can't force things. Just have fun, but be careful, okay?" Elizabeth remarked.

Jack and Lee decided to drive separately and pulled up beside Rosie's car, stepped out and approached the women. It was easy to see how the pairing was being handled, as they walked to their table, Jack pulled out Elizabeth's chair and sat beside her, and Lee did the same.

The group talked and laughed, maintaining a hold on the prime table by the beautiful 150 gallon salt water fish tank. Elizabeth found herself mesmerized by the many varieties of fish contained in the tank, as well as Jack's knowledge regarding them.

Several hours later, they emerged from the restaurant and headed toward the parking lot.

"Thank you for lunch Jack; I really enjoyed it…" Elizabeth stated as Rosie blurted out her own words of appreciation for the meal.

Lee walked with Rosie around to the driver side of her vehicle while Jack stood on the passenger side with Elizabeth and finished their conversation. Jack asked for her number and she took his phone from his hand and casually entered her information into his contact list.

Elizabeth paid no attention to Rosie and Lee as Jack opened the door for her and she slipped inside. Once Rosie entered the car, she started the engine; they waved goodbye and left Jack and Lee standing at Jack's truck watching them pull away.

"So when are you taking her out?" Lee asked.

"I didn't ask her out yet," Jack replied.

"Man, what is wrong with you?" Lee stated as he shook his head and unlocked the door to his car. "Jack, if you want something, you need to go after it."

"Leave me alone. I don't want to scare her off. I'll call her and ask her out," Jack remarked.

"When…?" Lee fired back.

"When what?" Jack asked.

"When are you going to call her and ask her out?" Lee prodded him further.

"Later…I'll call her later today," Jack replied.

Rosie and Elizabeth headed back to NC State, "Okay, he asked you out…when?" Rosie asked.

"He didn't ask me out, Rosie. He has my number, but he didn't ask me out. Why, did Lee ask you out?" Elizabeth asked.

Rosie hesitantly answered, "Yes, but I'm sure Jack is going to call you."

"I like him, Rosie, but I can't force him to like me back," Elizabeth remarked.

"Now you sound like one of your students picking friends on the playground. Maybe Jack just wants to do things right, like, you know, calling you on the phone and asking you out," Rosie theorized.

"It doesn't matter. There are a lot of fish in the sea, so I'm not going to get myself upset if it doesn't work out with Jack," Elizabeth mentioned as her eyes drifted out the window, and Rosie could tell that she was disappointed by the tone in her voice.

Elizabeth turned back to face Rosie, "When are you going out?"

"Tomorrow night. There's a new movie premiere at the Cary Cinema, and we're going to dinner," she stated, unable to hide her excitement.

"I'm happy for you, Rosie. Lee seems like a nice guy. But please, just take things slow," Elizabeth stated, hoping that Rosie wouldn't do like she had done in the past and impulsively fall head over heels in love.

"I've learned my lesson; I'll take things slow. Are you happy now?" Rosie asked.

Elizabeth was happy, but she would have been happier if Jack had taken the step and asked her out too.

Since Jack wasn't going out of town, he decided to run by the precinct and work on several reports that he'd left unfinished. He found himself sitting at his desk, staring at her contact information on his phone and wondering why he was having difficulty asking her out.

It actually made no sense as he found her quite interesting to talk to, and although he would not expect her to hop into bed with him, asking her out to dinner should be easy. However, for some reason, she was different from many of the other women he'd dated. Although he was always a gentleman, and treated his dates with the upmost respect, something about Elizabeth made him worry about what she thought of him.

"Hey Jack," a familiar voice drew Jack out of his self imposed trance.

Jack looked up, "Hey Bobby, what are you doing here?"

"I heard about your promotion, and Scarlet and I wanted to take you out to dinner," Bobby, Jack's oldest childhood friend offered. "Oh, sorry, bring your girlfriend…isn't her name Darcy?"

"WOW, we haven't seen each other in a lifetime. Darcy and I broke up last year," Jack shook his head and laughed.

"Okay, so who is your new lady?" Bobby asked.

"Well, I just met a girl named Elizabeth…"

"You just met? How well do you know her?" Bobby interjected.

"Well, like I said, we just met," Jack replied.

"Well, I'm going to tell you what Scarlet told me...she said that the best thing I did was to get to know her as a friend first before we started dating," Bobby responded.

Jack opened his mouth to speak but Bobby cut him off, "Jack, remember with Darcy, you met at a party and started dating almost immediately. So, why did you guys break up?"

"We just wanted different things in life," Jack admitted.

"Yep, my point exactly. If you had gotten to know her before as a friend, you could have saved yourself some heartache," Bobby stated as he pulled his wallet from his pocket to show Jack the newest pictures of his growing family.

Jack smiled at the family picture of Bobby, Scarlet, four years old Nathan, and eighteen month old Madeline.

"I'm telling you Jack, Scarlet and I have a wonderful relationship, but you remember we hung out as friends for a long time before she went out on an actual date with me," Bobby remarked.

Bobby left Jack's office with each one contemplating the best night to go out and celebrate his promotion. Bobby told Jack to stay in touch and that they would work out a night when Scarlet returned from visiting her family and babysitting arrangements could be made.

Jack sat back down at his desk and resumed staring at Elizabeth's contact information.

"Was Bobby right? Did he rush into a relationship with Darcy without being friends first? Would it be best to have contact with Elizabeth within a group of others, becoming her friend first?" Many thoughts ran through his mind, with each one causing him to question himself more.

"Hi Elizabeth…this is Jack," he decided to call her before his courage waned. "Do you like bowling?"

"I haven't been in a while, and I'm not the best, but I enjoy it," she replied.

"A group of us are going this evening and I thought you might like to join us," he stated.

She thought for a moment, " **Join them**?"

"Elizabeth, are you there?" he asked.

"That sounds like fun. I'd love to go," she stated, although she was still taken aback by the term "Join us."

"Would you like me to come by and pick you up, or would you rather meet us there?" he asked.

Feeling a bit uneasy regarding the direction of his invitation, she chose to meet him at the bowling alley.

She pulled into the bowling alley parking lot and found Jack sitting in his truck. She assumed that possibly he was waiting for her as he got out when she pulled in beside him.

She grabbed her purse, opened her door and stepped from her Jeep.

"Are you ready to go have some fun?" Jack asked.

"I'm ready, but no laughing, because I'm not any good," she replied.

"Friends don't laugh at each other," he replied.

She wasn't certain that she liked the direction this night was headed, but responded, "You're right. Friends should build each other up, not tear them down."

Jack spent the evening with Elizabeth, introducing her to his police officer friends, getting her the proper fitted shoes, helping her with her bowling swing, teaching her how to keep score, and hugging her when she had a personal game high score of 72.

However, Elizabeth also made note of the several references he made when introducing her as his friend. She realized that there was nothing wrong with being his friend, but she already knew that she wanted more.

At the end of the evening, everyone headed for the parking lot and their respective vehicles. Jack walked Elizabeth to her Jeep, but sadly the end of their evening seemed awkward, and nothing like she remembered in Wilmington.

She headed for home. She took Baloo out for an evening run in hopes of blowing off some of her own steam. As she ran, thoughts crossed her mind… "I can't make him like me romantically; some people are simply meant to be friends, and will I be satisfied if that's all we become?"

She and Baloo returned to her apartment; both were exhausted, but for Elizabeth, the run did little to clear her mind or answer her questions.

She changed into her pajamas, pulled back the covers and slipped into bed. She grabbed her journal off of her bedside table and sat momentarily thinking about men in general, and Jack specifically. She opened her leather bound journal and flipped through the ever increasing entries before reaching a blank page, and she began to put her feelings down on paper…

" _ **The foundation of our successes often lies within our failures. Whether they are employment, educational, or our various relationships, our trials will make way for our very best stories. Emotionally we search for someone who brings reason, purpose, joy and contentment to our otherwise vague existence. We pray that the right person enters our life, one who wants to stand firm, side by side, weathering those violent storms that pass, as we confront each challenge together. However, just because we desire or dream of a possible outcome, does not make it happen.**_

 _ **It is true that friendship first is essential in any relationship. We build emotionally as the friendship deepens. However, we must realize that some relationships will stall, never going further than the "glad to hang out with you; you are fun to be with, or you are my best friend" stage.**_

 _ **Relationships, no matter what type, should always be about appreciation and not possession. Much like a flower, once picked, it begins to die. The beauty of the flower is in its fragrance, its bold strength, as it stands alone often amongst that which is undesired. Like the flower, friendships should be allowed to grow, enjoying it as it was intended to be, through appreciation, and not possession or expectation. We should realize that both people must have the desire to move from friendship to romance. Should only one desire the change, they must be willing to stand down, accept the limits presented by the other person, or simply move along."**_

Elizabeth closed her journal and rested it back on her bedside table. She lay back with her head on her pillow, contemplating what it was about Jack that had tossed her world upside down. Possibly it was his beyond compare manners, or maybe it was the fact that she felt safe with him, or it could even be that he wasn't chasing after her, making him a bit of a challenge. She wasn't certain what it was, but whatever the reason, she was unable to get him out of her mind.

Elizabeth pulled up her contact list on her phone and texted him…

"Jack, I enjoyed this evening. TY 4 introducing me 2 ur friends…"

She watched the screen to see if he responded. She didn't understand why he seemed to back away from her, because she truly felt something special with him during their short time in Wilmington. However, she also understood that "what it is, is what it is," a saying that Rosie used often, and Elizabeth actually hated to hear, but was quickly realizing its truth.

Jack sat on his sofa drinking a beer and watching a tape of the Braves vs. Mets baseball game. He heard the ding on his phone, realizing that a text had come through.

He read her text over and over, wondering if "this friend's thing" was really what women want, and if he would regret his decision to take things extremely slow. He liked her, more than he thought he should, but he also didn't want to appear too overzealous, possibly scaring her away. Maybe Bobby did know what he was talking about.

Rosie checked her cell phone and realized that although she had called Elizabeth three times tonight, she had yet to hear back from her. "Hey, I've been trying to reach you. Why haven't you answered your phone?"

"I'm sorry. I was out bowling with Jack," she replied.

"See, I told you he liked you. When are you going out again?" Rosie asked.

"Put your horse back in the barn; we met at the bowling alley and it was with a bunch of his friends," Elizabeth replied.

"Oh…" Rosie responded, before attempting to change the subject. "Hey, did you see where Macy's is having a sale this weekend?"

"Rosie, what changed between Wilmington and home? I thought he was interested in me, and I don't mean like a buddy," she stated, her voice was full of disappointment.

"I'll be seeing Lee tomorrow, I'll ask him…"

"Don't you dare; I would be mortified if you did," Elizabeth stated, making her promise to keep her mouth shut. "Oh wait, I have a text…"

"I'm glad u had a good time. My friends r the best. Maybe we can hang out w/ ur friends sometime…"

Jack pushed send as his heart pounded. "That's not what I wanted to say," he thought to himself. "I want to tell her that I find her fascinating, intriguing and beautiful. That I want to spend time alone with her to get to know everything about her; to learn what makes her tick, what's important to her, and how I might possibly fit into her life."

Jack's phone dinged again, and he assumed it was from Elizabeth…

"Hey Jack, Scarlet is taking the kids 2 visit her family and will b back in a month. Dinner on that Saturday she returns to celebrate ur promotion…"

"Y is she staying so long? Everything OK…?"

"Her dad is sick, so she wants 2 get the kids there for a visit…"

"Sorry 2 hear that. Dinner when she gets home sounds good…"

"We'll decide where when it gets closer…"

"OK, TTYL…"

Back at Elizabeth's apartment, she read the text to Rosie who had no words of encouragement, "Well, I wouldn't wait for him."

"I'm not going out to find someone just to show him that I'm not waiting on him. Besides, maybe he's decided that being friends is all he wants right now. I can't force something that isn't there," Elizabeth replied.

"Well, if it bothers you, talk to him about it," Rosie suggested.

"I will not ask him why he doesn't find me appealing romantically. That's embarrassing," Elizabeth remarked. "I'll just consider him one of my friends and go on from there. If things change, then I'll deal with it at that time."

"Well, I think you're smart. I don't get him. He certainly seemed so in to you in Wilmington and even at lunch," Rosie stated. "I just can't imagine what happened. Maybe he's had a bad relationship and he's scared to open himself up."

"Maybe I'll find out when we're hanging out…"

"As friends?"

"Yes, as friends."

Elizabeth saw Jack a few times a week for the next month, but always accompanied by hers or his friends. He always gravitated to her, sitting next to her and carrying on safe conversations, but nothing more.

On this particular occasion, Jack had actually picked her up and taken her to dinner with several other couples. Thinking that things were possibly moving forward, she attempted to relax, but found herself analyzing everything he said and did.

At the end of the evening, he drove her home and walked her to her door. He took the key from her hand and opened her door. He leaned in…

" _ **Would tonight be the night that things progress?"**_ she thought as her eyes slowly moved between his eyes and his lips. She felt that she was giving him every indication that she was interested. Her hopes were high and then…

He kissed her cheek, "Thanks for going with me tonight. It's hard when all of your friends have girlfriends, and well, I do appreciate our friendship," he managed to choke out the words, feeling somehow that this friend's first thing was going to majorly backfire on him.

She was disappointed, but somehow hearing him reference her as his friend simply made everything so real and she finally understood. Sad that their relationship was destined to remain in the "Friend's Zone" she realized that life was too short to wait for something that may never materialize.

Scarlet finally returned home and stopped by the precinct to firm up their dinner plans for Saturday night.

"Hey Scarlet, come on in. Welcome home," Jack stated as he offered her a seat in his modestly decorated office.

"Hey, Bobby told me that he had talked with you about going to dinner when I got home. Is tomorrow night okay?" she asked.

"Yea, that would be fine. By the way, how is your dad?" he asked.

"He's better. He had a heart attack 6 weeks ago and it was touch and go for awhile. Thanks for asking," she explained.

"So dinner, where do you want to meet?" he asked.

"It's a celebration for you, so you pick," she replied.

"How about Outback?" he asked.

"Perfect. There is a new art show at the Plaza too that I'd love to see. I know you have to be dating someone, so bring her along," she suggested.

"Well actually, I've been spending some time with a woman, but I've been taking it slow and doing the friend's thing," Jack hesitantly admitted.

"Friend's thing? What are you talking about?" she asked.

"Bobby told me that you told him that being friends first was the best way to approach a relationship with a woman. So, I've kept it friends only," he stated as he nervously tapped his fingers on his desk.

"Are you crazy? Why are you listening to anything Bobby has to say about relationships?" she asked.

"He told me that you said being friends first was the best thing he ever did in your relationship," Jack responded, his expression was now somewhat horrified.

"Of course that was the best thing he ever did because I didn't like him at all when we first met. I had to get to know him and like him as a friend before my feelings grew into something more," she explained.

Scarlet continued, "If you like this woman you need to let her know. She isn't going to wait around forever for you."

After work, Jack headed over to Elizabeth's apartment. He intended to invite her to dinner, alone, so that they could talk.

"Hi Jack, what are you doing here?" she asked as she watched his eyes taking her in completely.

"WOW, you look absolutely beautiful tonight. Would you like to go out to dinner? I need to talk to you," he stated as he stepped inside her apartment and she closed the door behind him.

"Jack, I'd love to but…"

*Knock, knock, knock*

She opened the door and awkwardly smiled, "Hi Alex, come on in, I'm just about ready."

"Alex, this is my friend, Jack…Jack, this is Alex. We teach together at State," she completed the introductions.

Jack looked stunned; hearing her reference him as her friend was his worst thought coming to fruition. He had used the term, but in doing so, he knew he didn't mean it. Hearing the word slip passed her lips was a nightmare, but one he should have seen coming. _**"She didn't wait for me,"**_ he thought.

She looked at Jack and suddenly saw in his eyes what she thought she'd seen during their dinner and dancing in Wilmington, but what seemed to disappear once they reconnected at home.

"Oh, you two have plans. I'm sorry, I'll get out of your way," Jack stated as he rushed to the door.

Elizabeth stood with the door slightly open as Jack walked out into the hallway. "Jack, you aren't in my way. I'm sorry about tonight..."

"It's my fault; enjoy your night," he stated as he turned and headed down the corridor feeling much like his heart had been ripped from his chest.

"Jack," she called out causing him to stop and turn around. "Can we get together tomorrow night and talk?"

"We'll see," he stated as he turned and disappeared down the hallway. He stepped into the elevator and felt badly that his true feelings were that he hoped she had a horrible time.

He drove home, sat on his sofa and attempted to become engrossed in a baseball game. Unfortunately the first thing he observed was the "Kiss Cam" going through the crowd and he immediately shut off the TV.

His mind was reeling, with thought after thought passing through, "I know what he sees in her, but Lord knows what does she see in him? I guess he's considered handsome, if you like that type."

"How could I have been so stupid? Of course she won't wait for me forever," he stated through harsh breaths. Unable to sit still, he grabbed his basketball and headed for the court.

While at dinner, Elizabeth found Alex to be interesting, and engaging, but he wasn't Jack. She sadly also found him to be a bit narcissistic, but played along knowing that this would be the only evening that she would spend with him.

Following dinner they took a stroll in the park. They weren't alone as this appeared to be a popular place for young lovers who walked the paths holding hands. He took her hand as they walked, and she felt uneasy, an awkwardness with him. Having been used to Jack's "friend" demeanor, she also found him to be somewhat forward, almost as if he was expecting some kindness from her in return for taking her to dinner.

Once back at Elizabeth's apartment, Alex took the key from her hand and opened the door. He stepped inside before being invited, which Elizabeth found to be quite bold.

As the door closed, she suddenly felt the evening moving from "first date, getting to know you" to "you owe me" status, as she felt him press her up against the door.

"Rrrrrr," never before was she so thankful to see the teeth of her generally mild mannered black Labrador Retriever.

"Whoa, I didn't know you had a dog," Alex stated as he released her and backed away slightly.

"I usually keep him locked up because he isn't really friendly," she remarked, knowing all the while that Baloo was as sweet as they come.

Baloo moved over close to Elizabeth, separating her from Alex.

"Go put him away, and I'll wait right here," Alex remarked.

"Sorry, I need to take him out, so I guess we should call it a night," Elizabeth stated as she opened the door.

"Are you sure? I was looking forward to spending time with you," he stated as he walked toward her.

"Rrrrrrr," Baloo's lips curled up showing his perfect scissor-bite.

"No, thank you for dinner, but I think you should go," she stated as she pulled Baloo back allowing Alex room to squeeze by.

"I'll call you tomorrow. Maybe we can do this again, without the interruption," he stated as Baloo continued to growl.

"No, there's no need to call tomorrow. If my dog doesn't like you, I can't see us going any farther," she teased, but truthfully meant every word.

"You are kidding, right? You wouldn't let a dog make a decision about us, would you?" he asked, seemingly quite confused.

"Absolutely. Baloo and I have been together for awhile, and he will always come first," she remarked before closing the door.

She felt herself shaking and moved to the sofa where she took a seat with Baloo resting beside her.

She glanced down at her buddy and asked, "I have never seen you raise your lips to anyone or anything. Where did you learn that?" He immediately began licking her face and wagging his tail.

They waited long enough for Alex to leave the property before she attached Baloo's leash and they headed outside for a walk.

 _ **Back at Jack's Apartment Complex…**_

Everyone at the court thought the world of Jack, and hated to see him depressed and preoccupied. They could only assume that a woman was behind his mood, but as they attempted to talk with him, he immediately shut them down. He played in two pickup games, and was absolutely exhausted when he returned home.

He took a shower and slipped into bed, hoping that sleep would not evade him, but it did. He spent most of the night re-living his many meetings with Elizabeth, all the while developing a friendship, but missing out on what he really wanted to pursue, a romantic relationship. "Why did I listen to Bobby?" he asked himself.

Friday night dragged on. Jack could only assume that Elizabeth and Alex had had a wonderful night out, _**"because who wouldn't have a great time with her"**_ and he figured that most likely more dates would follow.

Saturday morning did not arrive quickly. Jack only slept a few hours, but none of them were restful. He was drinking a cup of coffee when his phone dinged…

"Hey, I'm sorry about last night. Can we talk tonight…?"

"Sorry, I'm having dinner with friends…" he responded. He wanted to see her, but couldn't stand the fact that she had moved on without him.

"Can u put it off until another night? I'd really like to talk 2 u…"

"I can't it's been planned for a month…"

"I'm taking my dog to Jordan Lake this afternoon. Can u meet me there…"

"OK, say about 2…?" he finally gave in.

"Perfect. I'll c u then. TY Jack…"

"Guess where I'm taking you today?" Elizabeth excitedly announced to Baloo. "Yep, we're going to your favorite park."

 _ **Jordan Lake…**_

Jack arrived at the park about fifteen minutes early. He stepped out of his truck and headed for the lake. He sat in the grass and contemplated what he would say to her, and unfortunately what he was afraid she would say to him.

There were very few people located near them so Elizabeth released Baloo to run and swim.

"Hi Jack," Elizabeth stated as she approached his still form lying by the water.

He jumped up, "Oh hi, I didn't hear you pull in."

"I won't keep you long because I know you have plans…"

"I have time," he stated, knowing that if truth be told he would always make time for her.

"I'm sorry about last night," she began.

"It's not your fault," he quickly jumped in.

"Maybe not, but…"

"But what?" he asked.

"Jack, you are a great friend…"

Jack felt his heart pounding so loudly that he could barely hear the words as she spoke them.

"It's not your fault that I feel something for you that you can't return. I want something more, or at least to see where this goes, but since it's just me, I can't make you feel something that you don't. Just like Alex can't expect me to feel something for him that I don't," she stated as she glanced around, making certain that Baloo was still nearby.

"Wait…what?"

"Jack, I do want to be your friend, and if that's all it can ever be then I'll have to be okay with that. Just give me some notice when you start dating other girls," she attempted to make a joke but felt the punch line ripping her heart out.

She felt his hands on her arms, "Elizabeth, are you serious? You mean I didn't mess everything up?"

"What are you talking about? You haven't done anything wrong. It's me, I want more, and it's okay that you don't," she stated as she had a difficult time making eye contact.

"I do…I mean, I don't want to be just friends," he felt a rush come over him, much like a kid on a combination of Christmas and his birthday.

"Then why have you been consistently putting me in the "Friend's Zone" since we came back from Wilmington?" she asked.

"I listened to a friend of mine who told me that women want friendship first; no pushing; no expectations," he explained.

"WOW, who is this friend? You may need to reevaluate who you're hanging out with," she stated with a cleansing breath.

"I was stupid, and I should have just talked with you about it," he replied.

"Well, I have to say that friendship with you is much more enjoyable than the blast I received from Alex last night," she remarked as she turned and walked toward the open field, calling Baloo to return to her.

Jack caught up to her and placed a hand on her arm, turning her around to face him, "Elizabeth, what happened last night? Did he hurt you?"

"No, he didn't hurt me, but it was the typical take you out and expect payment at the end of the evening," she replied as she turned around and clapped her hands together calling Baloo to come to her.

Jack eased up behind her; he wrapped his arms around her and whispered, "What did he do? I'll take care of him."

She turned around to face him, "I don't need you to take care of me, Jack."

"I care about you; I want to keep you safe," he replied.

"Apparently that's what I have my vicious dog for. Thanks to him my evening was cut short," Elizabeth remarked as she explained Baloo's uncharacteristic behavior that had Alex leaving early.

"You're a good boy. Thank you for taking care of your momma for me," Jack squatted down and played with Baloo, who unlike last night, seemed quite happy to have Jack together with Elizabeth.

Jack stood back up and approached Elizabeth, "I have an idea…"

"What's that?" she asked softly as the distance between them lessened.

His hand cradled the side of her face as his thumb gently swept across her cheek. His other hand brushed several strands of wavy auburn hair behind her ear, "Do you have any idea how much I want to kiss you right now?"

"Is that your idea? If so, it's a good one," she smiled as her gaze drifted between his eyes and lips.

"Actually, my idea was that we take care of each other, but right now I can't think of anything else but…" his lips met hers. Her lips were warm and soft as his hands cradled her head. He pulled her closer, deepening the kiss that each one had previously dreamed of, but just assumed would never happen.

Jack took her hand and they walked, taking a seat on a bench by the water. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close.

Jack's right hand under her chin turned her head slightly to face him, "I'm glad that we're friends, but I have to tell you that being your friend wouldn't be enough for me."

His lips met hers again and again, with each one building on the passion of the one before.

Jack's heart pounded, "I have to tell you that seeing you go out on a date last night just about killed me."

"I'm sorry Jack…"

"It's not your fault. I wasn't honest with you about how I felt. I didn't ask you what you wanted; I just assumed that all women want a friend first…"

"Jack, I thought we were already friends. I mean maybe we hadn't known each other for a long time, but we had seriously talked on the occasions that we'd been together. We were certainly moving in that direction," she stated as she rested her head on his chest.

She leaned back up and faced him, "As for being friends only, it would not be enough for me either. But being your friend is better than having no relationship at all."

Elizabeth gently bit her bottom lip, "Jack, you are a special man; I knew that soon after we met when you put me in my place."

He pulled her closer to his body as they sat quietly watching the fish cause the rippling effect on the water. Baloo returned to Elizabeth, but chose to sit on the bench beside Jack with his head on Jack's lap.

Jack leaned over and kissed Elizabeth on the top of her head. "Thank you," he whispered.

"For what?" she asked.

"For sticking with me; for pushing me to meet with you today, and for wanting to see where this goes," he stated with deep emotion.

"Well thank you for meeting me today, but I think you have to leave now," she stated.

"Leave, I'm not leaving you now," he stated, surprised that she would even consider it.

"Jack, I can see you tomorrow, but you have plans tonight. You need to go or you'll be late," she reminded him.

"Come with me. Actually you were invited too," he advised.

"I was…why?"

"They told me to bring the woman I was dating, and I immediately thought of you," he replied.

"But we really weren't dating," she reminded him.

"Maybe not in the traditional sense, but I've felt closer to you that I have any other woman in a long time. Besides, Scarlet made me realize what a mistake I was making," Jack stood up and held out his hand.

"Well then, I guess I need to meet Scarlet and thank her," Elizabeth remarked as she took the hand he offered and they walked toward the parking lot.

Baloo was loaded up into her Jeep and Jack followed her home. He waited in her den while she freshened up and changed.

Fifteen minutes later she walked back into the den and he was speechless. Elizabeth checked herself in the mirror assuming that something was horribly wrong with her outfit.

What she saw was a perfectly fitted white A-line dress with tiny embroidered flowers, a thin blue belt, and white sandals. Her hair was swept up on the sides and held by clips as her loose curls cascaded down her back and across her shoulders.

She turned back toward Jack and asked as if she wasn't certain, "Is this okay?"

"You're beautiful; it's actually better than okay," he admitted.

"Are we ready to go?" she asked.

"We don't really have to go. We could just stay right here," he stated as he patted the cushion on the sofa beside him.

"J-A-C-K," she arched her eyebrows and gave him a disapproving look.

"I didn't mean what you think I meant. I just want to spend some time alone with you," he clarified.

"That will come. Tonight we need to celebrate your promotion, and maybe our first night out as a couple?" she suggested as she grabbed her purse from the table.

"Our first night out as a couple? Hmm, now that is something worth celebrating…" he brought her hand to his lips before escorting her out of the apartment.

To be continued…


	3. Chapter 3- Break Your Plans

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters within this story. All rights and much respect go to Crown Media, Hallmark, Brian Bird, Michael Landon, Jr., the actors, creators, and writers of the show "When Calls the Heart."**

 _ **Chapter 3- Break Your Plans**_

Two months had passed since Jack and Elizabeth went on their first official date. It was now August, and summer was beginning to wind down.

It was Saturday morning; Elizabeth and Baloo were sleeping in when she heard her phone buzz signifying a text.

"I kno I've been wking a lot. Do u have plans tonight…?" he asked, knowing that she didn't.

"Yes…"

"I'll b over after wk…"

"I have plans…"

"No u don't…"

"Yes I do…"

"Break them…"

"Jack, I can't…" _**Is he serious?**_ She thought. _**Hmm, I'll play along.**_

"Y can't u…?"

"Because he asked me out days ago. I can't cancel…"

Jack stepped out of the hallway and into a small alcove for privacy.

"It's early and I don't have x 4 games…"

"I'm not the 1 playing games…"

"Stop messing around. Break ur plans and go out w/ me…"

"Is this 4 real Jack…? I can't break my date…"

"Yes u can…"

"Jack, I wouldn't expect u to cancel a date w/ someone at the last minute…" Just typing the words made her stomach turn.

"I'm not asking any1 else out…"

"I can't Jack. He's very special to me…"

"Who is he…?"

"Jack r u jealous…?"

"No…maybe…Seriously…" he pushed the send button but immediately called her.

"Good morning Jack. Are you at the precinct yet?" she asked.

"Elizabeth, I know I've been working a lot, but I'm doing it for us. Break your plans tonight, I need to see you," he remarked.

"Well, I would like to see you too," she stated with a smile on her face, and a soft laugh trying desperately to break free.

"Okay, then cancel your plans, because I'd like to spend some time with you," he stated.

"Well in that case, Jack, my boyfriend doesn't want me to see you anymore," she stated as her laugh could no longer be contained.

"I know that it's only 7:15 in the morning, and I am tired, but what are you laughing about?" he asked, clearly confused.

"Jack, I'm not seeing anyone but you. Do you not remember talking to me on Tuesday night and asking me out?" she asked.

"Actually I don't…"

"WOW, that makes me feel special," she replied. "Jack, you've been working extra shifts for the past week. You're bound to be exhausted. Why don't you just go home after work, take a shower, eat some dinner and go to bed?" she suggested.

Before he could answer she continued, "We can do something tomorrow; that is if you aren't working."

With obvious disappointment in his voice he stated, "Elizabeth, I haven't seen you in almost a week. I'm fine, but I need to see you."

"Is something wrong, Jack?" she asked.

"No, I just miss you," he replied softly, trying to keep the men and women passing him in the hall from listening in on his conversation.

"Well, if you're sure, but let's not go out. I'll make you dinner and we can just relax here, okay?" she offered.

"That sounds wonderful. I'll bring the wine," he stated before having to cut the call short.

 _ **If he drinks any wine he'll probably be asleep before dessert,**_ she thought, knowing how exhausted he must be.

Elizabeth took Baloo out for a run, and then stopped by the small corner grocery store on her way home. She left Baloo tied to the railing at the door with Stephanie, the store clerk watching him while she did the mad "Supermarket Sweep" up and down the aisles gathering the necessary items for dinner.

Once home, she put her groceries away, cleaned her apartment and took a nap. She figured that at least one of them needed to be awake and good company.

She prepped the dinner and then slipped into a relaxing bubble bath, feeling her skin soften as she submerged herself up to her chin. Before her fingers began to wrinkle, she dragged herself out of the tub, blew dry her hair, dressed in her favorite stonewashed jeans, and her oversized NC State sweatshirt.

Although Jack had not discussed it with her, he had been working on a sexual assault/ murder case which occurred near campus. He was the new "Kid on the block" so to speak, so most of the older detectives didn't listen to his ideas and theories. As a result, he went above and beyond in order to prove that he was worthy of the position.

The case surrounded an off campus female resident, Emily Donovan, a sophomore pre-med student, who was found strangled and left in an alley. Given the close proximity of the body to a fraternity house located near campus and the fact that there was a known party the night before the discovery, the older detectives felt it was an isolated incident. They felt that it was a case of too much alcohol, and a sexual encounter that went horribly wrong.

Jack didn't discount that theory. However, given that they had not yet found the perpetrator, he wasn't so certain that it was someone who attended the fraternity party.

"Jack, just sit back and watch how this is done," Detective Schaeffer stated. "Don't jump in and make this out to be more than what it is. It's about a girl who went to a frat party, drank too much and probably found herself in a bad situation."

"Excuse me, Detective, but are you implying that it was Emily Donovan's fault?" Jack asked, his tone sounded somewhat perturbed.

"Stand down, Jack. I'm just saying that if she hadn't been drinking that she probably wouldn't have found herself in that situation," Detective Schaeffer explained.

"Possibly not, but she didn't strangle herself, and no matter how far she let things go, if she said 'no' that should be all she needed to say," Jack commented.

"Son, you'll toughen up with time," Detective Schaeffer stated.

"Sir, at the risk of being considered disrespectful, I am not your son. I am a Detective with this police force, just like you. I am aware that I have a lot to learn, but I'd appreciate it if you would not patronize me," Jack responded with passion in his voice.

"I'm sorry son…uh, I mean Jack. I didn't mean anything by it. I'm sorry," Detective Schaeffer stated as he extended his arm to shake Jack's hand.

Jack reciprocated in the gesture of good faith, but knew in his heart that this detective would most likely never accept him as an equal.

"So Jack," Detective Fisher called out, "What do you think happened here?"

"I don't know yet, but in all of the interviews, no one has mentioned seeing Ms. Donovan at the party," Jack replied.

"Jack they're covering for each other. Weren't you ever a frat man? They cover for their brothers," Detective Schaeffer remarked.

"I was in a fraternity, and I'd cover for my brothers if they missed curfew, but not for something like this, certainly not for a sexual assault and a murder. Besides, did you notice that they maintained eye contact? If you have something to hide, you generally can't comfortably do that," Jack explained.

"He does have a point Schaeffer," Detective Fisher admitted, as the three men separated and went their own ways, following their own leads on the case.

Jack didn't recall taking a break for lunch, but was thankful that he was seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, at least for this day. He had one other person to interview before he'd feel comfortable leaving for the rest of the weekend.

He walked into the maintenance building and knocked on the door to the main office.

"Yes sir," Joe Williams stated as he observed Jack's badge.

"Are you Mr. Williams?" Jack asked.

"Yes I am. Is something wrong?" he asked.

"I need to ask you a few questions," Jack replied.

"Am I in trouble? Do I need a lawyer?" he asked.

"Hmm, I don't know. Have you done something wrong?" Jack responded.

"No sir; not that I know of," Mr. Williams stated.

"Well, I just need to talk with you about…"

"That poor girl's murder?" he asked.

"Well yes, we are interviewing everyone in the area. This is a picture of her," Jack advised as he pulled a photo of the victim from his file.

"I believe that I've seen her before," he stated. "It's hard to forget those beautiful blue eyes, but I don't think it was around here. I think it was over at the cafeteria, maybe a week or so ago."

"What were you doing in the cafeteria? Jack asked.

"I had some men over there replacing some light ballasts," Mr. Williams replied. "I remember walking through the cafeteria to get to the back, and I believe I bumped into her."

Jack asked a few more questions, but ended the meeting with a request for the names and contact information for the men on his crew.

Jack left the university and headed home. Once inside his apartment, he took a seat on the sofa, resting for a few minutes before jumping into the shower. He thought about how mistaken he was to think that a promotion to detective would mean less hours. Since taking the new position, he felt a need to prove that he was deserving of the promotion.

Now with this new case he had an ulterior motive in catching the man or men responsible…Elizabeth worked not far from where the victim was found.

Jack was tired, but the fact that he was going to see Elizabeth seemed to pump the blood through his veins with more force. He was off tomorrow and planned to sleep in, a luxury he had not afforded himself in weeks.

He pulled on his jeans, situating himself before tucking in his button down shirt and zipping up his pants. He rolled up his sleeves, slid his feet into his socks and shoes, and splashed on his favorite cologne, Guilty by Gucci before grabbing his keys, a bottle of wine, and heading for his truck.

At 6:15pm, Elizabeth heard the buzzer on her door alert her to a visitor. She and Baloo rushed to the door, knowing that it had to be Jack. As she opened the door, she found him standing with a bouquet of roses in one hand, a bottle of wine in the other and a gorgeous dimply smile covering his face.

She stepped back to allow him inside before closing the door behind him. She took the bouquet he offered and immediately inhaled their beautiful aroma. "Jack, thank you for the roses; they're my favorite," she stated as she leaned in and gently pressed her lips to his.

She took the bottle of wine from him, "Get comfortable. I'm going to check on dinner. Would you like a glass of wine?"

He closed the distance between them, "I'd rather have this…" he leaned in, wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close as her head rested on his shoulder.

"Is everything okay, Jack?" she asked in a soft voice as she felt his arms securely around her body.

He separated from her slightly, "I've just missed seeing you."

"Although I love the sound of that, I think there's something more to it. Is there something going on at work?" she asked, to which the look on his face told her that she was correct.

He wasn't certain how much he should tell her, but before he could answer, she pushed further, "Are you working on the case of Emily Donovan?"

"Did you know her?" he asked, slipping quickly back into his role as a detective.

"No, I think I read that she was in Pre-Med, so I didn't come across her, well, at least not that I know of," Elizabeth expounded.

"Is it okay if we don't talk about work? I just want to spend some time with you," he stated, a sentiment that warmed Elizabeth's heart.

"You sit down and relax and I'll finish up dinner," she stated before pressing her lips to his cheek.

Jack sat down, but his attention was on her as she left the room. He inhaled deeply, taking in the intoxicating scent of her perfume, but then released a harsh breath, as he had several things on his mind. He couldn't stop his work wheels from turning, especially since Elizabeth worked in the area where the murder occurred. But right now, his thoughts were in having a discussion with her about being exclusive with each other.

Elizabeth made several trips from the kitchen as she brought out the bottle of wine, two glasses, a bowl of salad, dressing, two plates of spaghetti, a shaker of parmesan cheese and butter bread. She smiled as she sat the bread down, wondering if he would realize that she'd left the garlic off for a reason.

They sat across from each other at her narrow dining room table. He reached across and took her hand.

"Dinner is wonderful, Elizabeth, all the way from the perfectly spiced spaghetti down to the buttered bread," he complimented her winking at the end of his statement.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. I have peach cobbler for dessert. Would you care for any?" she asked.

"As wonderful as that smells, I'm stuffed right now. Maybe later?" he suggested.

He cleared away the table as Elizabeth loaded the dishwasher. As she closed the door to the dishwasher, Jack was there, directly behind her. She felt her skin tingle as he ran his hands up and down her arms.

He brushed her hair away from her neck as the curls fell down her back. "I have missed you so much," he stated as his lips met the skin on her neck. He gently turned her around and in one quick swoop; he lifted her onto the counter.

Jack moved his body between her legs as his arms swept around her waist. Elizabeth's arms worked their way up his arms and over his shoulders, resting behind his neck as her fingers feathered through his hair.

"I'm sorry that I haven't been able to spend any time with you this week," Jack whispered as his lips made contact with each cheek, eyelid, forehead, and nose and finally resting gently against her lips.

Elizabeth wrapped her legs around his waist, locking her feet together behind him. She leaned over and captured his lips. It had been nearly a week since she had really felt them, firm yet tender against hers.

"I have one more thing to say about work…"

"No Jack, no more work talk, please?" she asked.

He leaned back and smiled. His fingers brushed a few auburn curls behind her ears as he cradled her face in his hands. "I care a lot about you Elizabeth Thatcher, and I need you to promise me that you'll be careful on campus until we catch this guy. Don't walk alone out into the parking lot at night. They have security, right?"

"I'm sure they do; I've just never had to use it. I'll be careful," she promised, as she slipped down from the counter and started toward the den.

She felt his hand on her arm as he turned her back toward him, "Hey, where are you going? I like you right here on the counter."

"Then you'll love me even more over here on the sofa," she smiled as she took his hand and they walked back into the den.

They took a seat beside each other; his arm quickly wrapped around her shoulders and pulled her in.

He kissed the top of her head, took a deep breath and began, "Can I talk with you about something?"

She rose up in her seat and faced him, "I knew it; something's wrong?"

"No, nothing is wrong, but I need to talk with you about something," he stated as his fingers ran up and down her arm.

"I've already told you that I'll be careful, and I will call security when I walk out to my car at night. Is there something else?" she asked.

His fingers started at her temples as they gently moved through her hair. "It's about this morning," he started to explain.

"Oh, you mean when you didn't remember asking me out?" she replied with a fake gasp.

"Stop teasing Elizabeth. This is important to me; you are important to me," he stated with a slightly harsh tone.

"I'm sorry Jack. What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing's wrong, but after I talked with you this morning I started thinking about things; important things," he stated. "Elizabeth, when you told me that you had plans and wouldn't break them…well, I'm sorry that I didn't remember they were with me."

"Jack, it's okay. I'm sorry I teased you," she stated as she leaned back and rested her head on his chest.

"It has nothing to do with that," he stated as she rose back up and looked confused.

"Okay, so what is it about?" she asked.

"Elizabeth, you know that I care about you," he began.

"I believe I do, and I care about you too," she replied.

"Elizabeth, it's just…" he couldn't stifle the yawn, which seemed to take on a life of its own.

"WOW, am I that boring?" she asked.

"I'm sorry. I'm just tired. I've been working a lot, and haven't slept much," he admitted.

"Jack you need to get some sleep," she stated.

"No, we need to settle this first," he responded.

"We can talk tomorrow. You need to get home and go to bed," she responded as she stood up and attempted to pull him from the sofa.

"Elizabeth, this is important."

"Okay, then what do you want to talk about?"

"Exclusive…Elizabeth, I want to be exclusive with you. We hadn't talked about it before and maybe I thought we didn't have to, but I just don't want to think that maybe you'd be dating someone else, because I don't want to date anyone else," he began to ramble, only stopping when she placed a finger to his lips.

"I want that too, Jack," she assured him.

"You do?" he asked as if he was uncertain.

"Of course I do, Jack," she stated. "I don't like the idea of seeing you with any other women."

"Well, we have that in common…"

"What? You don't want me to see you with other women too?" she teased.

"You think you're so funny," He looked into her eyes and before she knew it, he rolled her back and was tickling her. His hands stayed appropriately on the outside of her clothes, along her sides, as she wiggled to get away. Unable to break free, she too began to intentionally tickle him. Both were laughing hysterically, trying to gain control of the other when they suddenly stopped.

"I thought you were tired…" she breathlessly remarked.

They were only inches apart; their laughing ceased; their respirations were noticeably erratic, and each one was certain that the pounding of their hearts could be seen through their clothing.

Jack leaned her back against the soft arm of the sofa, following her body with his. "Elizabeth," he whispered as his arms propped himself up above her, "I…I…" before he could finish his thought, her lips met his with a fire that immediately warmed them from the inside.

Her hand slipped behind his head, pulling him closer, deepening their contact. His tongue pressed through the slight opening in her lips, mingling with hers, as the feeling of butterflies that she had come to enjoy settled in her stomach. His touch caused her skin to tingle, bringing about soft, breathy moans which began to feed the fire between them.

Jack felt as though he could not get enough of her. If he could wrap her around him and carry her everywhere, it would still not be close enough. At that special moment, he would have sold his soul to the devil himself for her. But knowing how she felt was important to him, and he would never jeopardize what was developing between them.

He leaned back slightly; his eyes were intense, yet tender, and carried such kindness for her within them. "Elizabeth, we should stop…" he whispered before their eyes met and his body overruled his mind, capturing her lips again.

Jack couldn't speak for her, but he was well aware of the fact that his desire for her was out of control. He sat up and moved over to the edge of the sofa. "I'm sorry Elizabeth."

"Jack, you've done nothing wrong. I'm at fault. You know I won't sleep with you until we're…" she stated, stopping just shy of suggesting marriage. "I mean, I can't sleep with you yet, but I expect you to be the voice of reason and stop things. I feel like I'm leading you on only to shut things down, and I'm sorry."

He slipped over beside her. His finger under her chin turned her to face him, "Hey, this is new for me, but if it's the way you want it, that's how it will be. I'm not saying that it'll be easy, but we'll manage with understanding…and cold showers," he teasingly added before his lips met hers for a quick kiss.

"Would you like some coffee?" she asked.

He smiled at her offering, "That sounds good. And maybe some of that peach cobbler?"

She headed for the kitchen, turning back as she reached the door and observed him watching her. "I'll be right back."

"I'll be right here waiting," he replied.

She fixed the coffee and heated up the cobbler. Ten minutes later she walked out into the den, and found Jack stretched out on the sofa, sound asleep.

She put the coffee and cobbler down and walked over her him. She bent down, "Jack," she whispered, "let's go back to bed."

"Am I dreaming?" he sluggishly stated as his eyes barely opened.

"Jack, you are too tired to drive home. You take my bed, and I'll sleep out here," she stated as she led him to her bedroom.

He sat on the bed while she searched in her closet, "Here they are."

She walked back to the bed and laid a pair of men's sweatpants and a t-shirt on the bed. "Here you go. These should fit you," she stated as she headed for the door.

Jack reached out and took her hand, "Aren't you going to help me out of these clothes?"

"I think you can handle it," she replied as she headed into the hallway.

The bedroom door was almost closed when Jack called out, "Hey, why do you have men's clothes here?"

Elizabeth stepped back into the room, "My friend Abby and her husband stayed here once when I was out of town. Bill left these in my closet."

"Oh, okay," Jack responded as he began to remove his clothing. He pulled on the sweatpants and t-shirt, flipped back the bedding, and found himself where he had dreamed he'd be many times before…lying in Elizabeth's bed.

Within minutes Jack was back to sleep. Elizabeth pulled up the bedding over his shoulders, essentially tucking him in. She pulled her journal from the bedside table and headed back to the den.

Elizabeth fixed a glass of wine, sat down on the sofa, and glanced down the hall, thinking about the man who was currently sleeping in her bed. She opened up her journal, flipped to the next blank page and as her thoughts and feelings began to flow, she put her pen to the paper…

" _ **Being a virgin today is much like being a unicorn; it is an extremely rare find. I have chosen this course for myself, having made the decision for many reasons, religion being one of them, although to be honest, not the most important one. However, I must admit that I am a hopeless romantic. My dream has always been to give myself fully to the man who deserves me, giving him that special, emotion filled part of myself that I have never experienced with any other man.**_

 _ **Unfortunately, to many people, a relationship is not considered "real" until sex enters the picture. Although they may initially pretend to be okay with this decision, the pressure soon begins to "go all the way" because they can't imagine a relationship without it.**_

 _ **In a world where many things are turned into something sexual, and casual hookups have in many cases replaced real relationships, the most shocking behavior you can display is to not have sex. We as a society are desensitized by nudity, sex and violence, one or any combination of the three. However, throw abstinence into the situation, and many people will say its fine, but it becomes the elephant in the room, and most people don't know how to handle it.**_

 _ **In matters of sex, society appears to have different standards for both men and women. A man loses his virginity and his friends flock to him to slap him on the back or give him a high five for losing that unvalued thing that many people think makes him a loser. They often have the masculine sex competitions to see how many women they can bed, or simply stated how many notches they can carve in their bed posts.**_

 _ **Flip the coin, and you have a female who makes a conscious choice to give that special part of herself to a man, and she is often labeled by society as damaged, used, no longer pure. Society places a certain stigma surrounding the topic and the shame that follows.**_

 _ **Even men have certain ideas regarding virgins. Some don't care and are simply performing the act to satisfy their natural needs and desires, with no emotional ties. However, there are men, albeit not many, who will run for the hills when faced with sleeping with a virgin. Whether it is because they are gentlemen and don't want to harm her emotionally; they consider her to be clingy after losing her virginity, or she is stigmatized as being inexperienced or undesirable, the results are still the same. She is viewed as precious by society for keeping it, and cold and unfeeling by many for not giving it away.**_

 _ **Maybe I'm abnormal, but as I contemplate the concept of my lost virginity, I don't want to consider it as losing something. I want it to feel as though I'm finding something amazing, life altering and beyond my wildest dreams. Above all, I want to experience it with someone I love, and within the sanctity of marriage.**_

 _ **In college, girls spoke often about losing their virginity.**_ _ **Sadly it wasn't viewed as anything special or precious. They didn't seem to care that once it was gone, that special part of them was gone forever; never again to experience a first time.**_

 _ **This is not the path for everyone, but it is for me. It's my choice, it's my decision. However, if you're searching for more than just a one night stand, or a body to simply keep you warm at night, seek to find that special someone; the man who will turn your sadness into pure joy; that person who makes your heart flutter at just the mere thought of him, and the one who will put you first in his life. Once he enters your heart, you very well may have found the one who can make every time feel like the first time."**_

Elizabeth closed her journal and sat it on the coffee table. She grabbed a pillow and blanket from the closet and made up the sofa for herself. Having forgotten to pull a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt out for herself, she slipped back into her bedroom.

She stood by the door listening to him breathe, so rhythmic and calm. She gathered her clothes and headed back toward the door.

"Elizabeth," he called out.

"Shh Jack, go back to sleep," she whispered. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to wake you."

"This is your bed. You should be sleeping here," he replied.

"I'll be fine on the sofa. Go back to sleep, Jack," she assured him.

"Please come here…"

"Jack, that's not a good idea…" she whispered as she hesitantly walked over toward him.

"Just lie with me…"

She was so torn; never had she felt such a strong pull toward a man. But placing herself in that situation opened her up to a myriad of emotions and feelings that she wasn't so certain that she understood or knew how to control.

"Please…?"

"Let me go change and I'll be back in a few minutes," she stated as she turned away from the bed.

Jack reached out and took her hand, only releasing it once the distance between them required it. "I'll be waiting for you," he whispered as he rolled over in bed.

Fifteen minutes later she tiptoed back into the bedroom. She quietly walked around to "the other side" of the bed, trying her best to surprise him. She, however, was the one surprised.

He had hardly waited for her; she smiled as she watched him sleep and took in what appeared to be his total contentment. She put her hands up as if she was praying and rested her chin in the bend between her thumbs and forefingers.

"How did I get to be so lucky?" she asked herself in a whisper soft voice.

She slipped into bed, feeling uncompromised as she lay on top of her comforter. Something about their bodies not fully touching that seemed to make this okay, acceptable and safe.

She pulled the blanket from the bottom of the bed over her body, turned onto her left side, away from him, and closed her eyes. As if she was iron, and he was a magnet, she quickly felt the bed move and his arms wrapped around her body.

"Mmm," he moaned softly, as the feel of his warm breath tickled her neck.

Elizabeth snuggled in as his arms held her securely. She was a bit surprised that a situation that should have seemed so inappropriate actually felt so natural, so right.

Her hand found his as their fingers entwined and she pulled his arm to her chest. She bent down and pressed her lips to his fingers before releasing a cleansing breath, settling in and falling asleep.

The sun peeked through the window in Elizabeth's bedroom. He forced his eyes to open as he stretched, and yawned. Sitting up in bed, Jack was momentarily confused about his location. His heart pounded as he wondered where he was.

He glanced beside him and suddenly his heart and breathing calmed. He smiled as he observed the angelic form lying beside him, her hair loose and falling freely across the pillow.

He carefully slipped out of bed and observed that she had spent the night lying on top of the comforter. He straightened back the bedding, making certain that the blanket still covered her. He swept a piece of hair out of her face as the warmth he felt in his heart spread throughout the rest of his body.

"How did I get to be so lucky?" he whispered.

To be continued…

 _ **Note: Obviously this is simply a story and although some locations are mentioned, by no means am I implying that any of the information provided is true.**_


	4. Chapter 4- What's in a Name

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters within this story. All rights and much respect go to Crown Media, Hallmark, Brian Bird, Michael Landon, Jr., the actors, creators, and writers of the show "When Calls the Heart."**

 _ **Chapter 4- What's in a Name  
**_

Elizabeth's eyes remained closed as she stretched, reaching over to touch the first man she had ever technically slept with…but he was gone.

Her eyes shot open as she sat up in bed, "Jack," she whispered. Her hand brushed across her pillow, which now contained his scent. _**Maybe being here was too much for him. He could have at least told me he was leaving,**_ she thought.

Her body fell backwards with her head landing on the pillow. She released a frustrated breath before realizing that life goes on and Baloo still needed to be taken out for his morning walk.

She forced herself out of bed, changed and headed for the bedroom door. As her hand turned the knob and the door opened, her senses were hit with a multitude of sounds and smells.

She smelled coffee, rich and bold; she caught the sweet aroma of bacon frying, and she heard singing…he hadn't left. Not only had he not left, he was fixing them breakfast.

She quietly peeked into the kitchen and saw Baloo, mesmerized by Jack and his singing…

" _ **Sunshine on my shoulders, makes me happy, sunshine in my eyes can make me cry.  
Sunshine on the water looks so lovely; sunshine almost always makes me high."**_

Jack squatted down, eye level with Baloo as he fed him a piece of bacon, and continued his song…

" _ **If I had a day that I could give you, I'd give to you the day just like today.  
If I had a song that I could sing for you, I'd sing a song to make you feel this way."**_

Baloo turned his head and barked, sensing Elizabeth's presence. She smiled as she walked into the kitchen.

"Mmm, a man in an apron," she stated as she approached him. "It's hot."

"So you think I'm hot?" he asked as he felt the ever familiar tingle on his skin as her hands worked their way up his arms and around his neck.

"Uh huh," she whispered as her lips met his. She enjoyed the way his lips felt soft, yet rugged and strong, as she tasted the remnants of bacon that he had previously consumed.

"WOW, a guy could get used to that," he stated softly as his lips quickly captured hers again.

"Jack, I don't want just any guy…I want you," she replied.

"Are you okay with what happened last night?" he asked.

"What are you talking about? Nothing happened last night," she stated as she released him and stepped back. "Jack, nothing happened last night, right?"

He laughed, "Well if you call sleeping together nothing…"

"Stop teasing me," she remarked.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to tease you. But Elizabeth," he began as he took hold of her hands, "I slept better last night than I have in a long time."

"Well, no wonder; you were exhausted," she responded.

Jack removed the bacon from the stove and approached her. His palm lovingly covered her cheek, "Exhaustion wasn't it. It was feeling you next to me in bed." His hand slipped along her neck, cradling the back of her head as he leaned in and captured her lips.

Her lips were soft, and he knew that he could easily lose himself in them. Like a kid in a candy store, he wanted all of her, but knew that there were limits. He'd agreed to them; he was willing to wait, and would never put pressure on her to do anything before she was completely ready. But then again, he knew it was going to be difficult.

Elizabeth had certainly made friends with the butterflies that seemed to settle in her stomach whenever she was near Jack, or simply thought about him. The fact was that she'd never experienced the feeling before with any boy or man she'd dated; it made her think that this was…he was the real deal.

"Would you like some breakfast?" he asked.

"Mmm, I think I'd like a little more of this," she stated as her hands cradled his face, and brought him closer. Their lips touched several times, each kiss becoming more passionate than the one before.

"We need to stop," Jack stated as both of them were now breathless. "I know how you feel, and I would never pressure you, but you have to understand my position too. It's difficult for me to be with you, but not with you. Do you understand?"

"I'm sorry Jack. As much as I don't want someone pushing me, I shouldn't be doing the same thing to you," she stated as her hands on his chest pushed him backwards, creating space between them.

"We sure are a pair; you don't want to make love to me, and all I can think about is making love to you," he turned away from her and returned to the pan of bacon.

"Jack," she stated as she turned him back around toward her, "Don't ever think that I don't want to. I've never before felt the pull that I do when I'm with you. If I were a different person there would be no question…"

Elizabeth kissed his cheek before turning back toward the door, "Come on Baloo. Let's go for our walk."

"Hey," Jack called out. "I…I care about you just the way you are. I wouldn't want a different person. Okay?"

"Thank you Jack," she stated with a soft smile. "Come on Baloo."

"I've already taken him out," Jack advised. "I was wondering if you'd like to go for a hike after breakfast?"

"What did I ever do to deserve you?" she asked.

"I feel pretty luck myself," Jack smiled, "What about the hike?"

"I'd love to go, and I'm sure Baloo would enjoy getting out too," she mentioned.

"He may want to go, but…" Jack glanced over and saw Baloo sleeping on the rug in front of the sink. "We ran about a mile and a half this morning. He may want to sleep."

Elizabeth walked back to the cabinet and pulled two plates down. Jack poured eggs and cheese into the pan to scramble while Elizabeth popped bread in the toaster. She leaned against the counter watching him stir the mixture and thought, _**"I think I could get used to this."**_

Following breakfast, Elizabeth changed and they headed over to Jack's for his clothes and to pick up his hiking boots. They headed over to Yates Mill County Park, and with their cell phones in hand for pictures of the scenery, they headed down the path.

He reached over and took her hand. He observed that she closed her eyes as her other hand covered her stomach.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

She smiled, "It's embarrassing, but whenever you touch me I feel butterflies in my stomach."

"Is that a good thing?" he asked.

"For me, that is most definitely a good thing," she replied.

They continued walking toward a clearing which appeared about an hour into their hike. They took pictures of themselves with the water and trees as a backdrop, then quickly added them as the wallpaper to their phones.

He took her hand and they continued down the main path which would eventually take them in a circle, leading them back to the parking lot. They were quiet for a few moments when Elizabeth spoke up…

"Jack what do you see for your life in a few years?" she asked, wondering if she would somehow fit into his plans.

He glanced over and caught her eyes, "Well, I hope to be situated in my career. Maybe the detectives that are there now will retire. What about you?"

Not hearing him mention anything about marriage and family had her cautious in providing an answer. "Hmm, I guess I'm fortunate, because I'm really already there. I mean, teaching has always been a dream of mine. I'm lucky that I get to teach kids and adults."

They walked a little farther when they reached a bridge crossing a small creek. He stopped her…

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

He smiled and brought her hand up to his lips. "You know, you asked me where I saw my life in a few years, and I didn't answer you completely."

They scooted off to the side of the bridge to let a couple with a small child pass through. Jack watched them as they continued down the path…

"That's where I see myself in a few years. Elizabeth, I want a family. I'd love to live out in the country; maybe on a small farm with animals and room for our children to run and play," he stated, intentionally including her in the dream without naming her. He wondered if she caught it.

"That sounds wonderful Jack. That's what I want as well; someone to come home to; someone to share in the good and bad things that life has to offer, and someone to build a life with," she replied as her eyes were mesmerized by the rushing water below.

"Elizabeth," Jack called out breaking her momentary trance, He swallowed hard, "Do you happen to see me in your dream?"

"I don't see anyone else but you in my dream, Jack," she replied. "Jack, I'm sorry if it seems too…"

"Shh," he hushed her before brushing his fingers across her cheek with his hand. He glanced around and observed that they were alone, not that it would have really mattered at that point, as his need for her lips had overtaken him.

She felt his lips meet hers. The kiss was slow and deliberate; his lips were firm, yet gentle and soft. She exhaled through her nose, not wanting to release him.

He moved his hand from her cheek to her neck, and then rested on the back of her head. His fingers tangled in her long, wavy auburn hair as he pulled her closer, adding to the pressure on their lips, deepening their kiss.

They separated slightly, his eyes opening first. She stroked his cheek as his lips parted. Her thumb traced the line along his lower lip, simultaneously biting her own. She felt his warm breath as his tongue brushed across her skin, and his teeth gently nibbled on her thumb.

He lovingly glanced between her eyes and her lips as he began to tease her. Edging closer only to pull away slightly as her desire for him grew. Finally, unable to contain himself further, his mouth met hers. Her lips tasted like the piece of peppermint candy that she took off the table in her apartment as they headed out the door.

Jack's phone buzzed in his pocket, drawing them both back to reality.

Elizabeth giggled, "WOW, I had no idea how being this close affected your body."

"No, you really have no idea, but it's my phone," he responded, sounding somewhat irritated that someone would interrupt them.

Jack pulled his phone from his pocket and glanced at the screen. The look on his face told her that something was wrong.

"Jack, what is it?" she asked.

"I'm sorry Elizabeth, but I have to go to the precinct. There's been another attack," he stated as he took her hand and they headed down the path back to the parking lot.

He pulled into the parking lot of her apartment and parked his truck.

"Thank you for a wonderful morning, Jack. It was the best day that I've had in a really long time," she stated with a warm smile as she leaned over and brushed her lips across his. "Call me when you can?"

"You don't get rid of me that easily," he responded.

Jack stepped out of his truck and walked her to her door. "You have no idea how much last night meant to me."

Elizabeth blushed, "Jack, we didn't do anything."

Jack took her hands in his and brought them to his lips, "Elizabeth, you have no idea how comfortable I felt with you last night." He glanced around the hallway before returning his gaze to her, "I've never felt that relaxed, so natural with a woman before."

"Maybe because we had no expectations of what was to come? You knew we weren't going to…you know."

Jack closed the distance between them. He leaned in as his warm breath brushed passed her ear, "You mean, make love?"

Just hearing him say the words caused her body to feel things in places that she'd never felt before. She looked up and caught his eyes. They were hazel with flecks of gold that seemed to sparkle when he looked at her.

Elizabeth's back was up against the wall beside her apartment door as he stood before her, so close, yet their lips weren't touching, so it seemed so far away.

His heart pounded as he moved in. his hands held the wall on either side of her head. Their lips met with a fire that evaporated the worries before him like a summer shower on a hot car. He was lost in the moment; he was lost in her.

As the weight of his body held her firm against the wall, his hands cradled her face, pulling her lips closer, deepening their contact.

Unfortunately his feeling of euphoria disappeared once they separated. "I don't want to leave, but I have to," he whispered as his hands slipped around her waist and held her body close to his.

She whispered. "Jack, I…I…" She wanted to tell him how deeply she felt about him, but was concerned that now may not be the right time. He had other things on his mind, and she didn't want her proclamation to compromise his focus at work, in a good or bad way.

"What is it honey?" he asked before realizing that he'd thrown in a term of endearment. _**Maybe she missed that…**_

"Honey?" I guess I'll need to come up with a name for you," she laughed softly as his own proclamation drew away from hers.

"Just make sure it manly," he requested.

"Hmm, Sweetie pie, Boo, Baby… any of those work?" she looked at him coyly.

"Keep thinking…" he suggested as he kissed her forehead and headed off to work.

"Jack," she called out, causing him to turn around. "How about Sweet cheeks?" She asked, unable to control her laughter.

"Keep thinking…" he replied as he turned back toward the elevator.

Jack arrived at the precinct and was immediately updated on the new assault. Jaclyn Davis, a senior music major, was reported missing by her boyfriend two days ago. Her body was found hidden in the bushes behind Carter Hall, an all male dormitory on campus. She had been sexually assaulted and like the victim before, strangled.

This case was slightly different in that she had no alcohol in her system, but like the other victim, she was 5'7" with brown hair and blue eyes.

Seeing that information written in the report before him, he immediately picked up his phone.

"Jack, we're meeting in the squad room," Detective Fisher called out from the hallway.

As they walked to the squad room, Jack sent out a text.

Elizabeth sat on her sofa watching a cooking show when her phone buzzed…

"Miss u already…"

"I miss u 2…"

"When do u have class again…?"

"New session starts 2morrow. I work Tues. and Thurs. nites. Y…?"

"Just wondering. DON'T WALK ON CAMPUS ALONE…!"

"R u yelling at me…?

"Sorry, just want u to b careful…"

"I will b. Call me l8r…?"

"I will. Talk soon Honey…"

"OK cuddle bug…"

"Keep thinking…"

Elizabeth grabbed her journal from the coffee table, opened it and flipped to the next blank page. As the thoughts in her head and the feelings in her heart calmed somewhat to a point of understanding, she attempted to convey them into words on the paper…

" _ **A new adventure begins. My heart opens to the possibilities of happiness, joy, and contentment. There is great anticipation for the things to come; the promise of today, and the many dreams for tomorrow. Our hearts pound and our palms sweat as our thoughts drift to the new beginnings ahead. I care, but am I moving too fast? Am I falling too hard? Am I letting him get too close? The answers may be 'yes,' but at some point you must have faith; faith in him, faith in yourself, and faith that God will always lead the way.**_

 _ **Fearing the unknown, unseen or unwanted, often keeps us locked in our own little world. We are unable or too frightened to venture out and spread our wings, afraid to open our hearts or acknowledge the deep feelings we are developing for another. Do they feel the same? Am I putting myself out there only to be slammed against the pavement by emotions and feelings that are not reciprocated?**_

 _ **Love is a powerful emotion; one that is capable of taking you to heights never before seen. It makes you feel comfortable wrapped in its subtle warmth and strong enough to hold you as you weather the storms that threaten to break you down. Those feelings of trust, hope, faith and desire often consume you, and much like the monster in our closet, we often close our doors, keeping everything hidden away, afraid of possibilities, good or bad.**_

 _ **Love isn't just the deep and often uncontrollable emotional feelings you have for someone. It is also that feeling that above all else, you wish for them the best in all that life has to offer; even if that does not include you. For we realize in life that love is many things…complex, yet kind, thoughtful, considerate and forgiving, but above all, we pray that it will be forever.**_

 _ **Breathe…close your eyes and relax, for whatever is meant to be, will be. Think through your feelings, but never allow them to control you. Inhale deeply; release that cleansing breath and above all, remember that some of the best days of your life have not yet occurred."**_

Jack went by Jaclyn Davis' apartment which she shared with her boyfriend, Billy Copeland. Finding Mr. Copeland home, he took the opportunity to interview him.

"I'm Detective Thornton," Jack stated as he displayed his badge.

"Yes sir," Billy replied as he stepped to the side and invited Jack inside.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Mr. Copeland. Did Ms. Davis have any relatives in town?" Jack asked.

"No, her family is from Arizona. I'm waiting for the body to be released so I can take her home," Billy stated as his demeanor fluctuated from anger to deep sadness.

"When's the last time you saw her? Jack asked.

"The day she disappeared. We were getting ready to go to Wilmington for the weekend and she had to go by the school to drop off a paper with one of her professors. She texted me that the school was unusually dead, and that she'd be home in time to leave. That's the last time I talked with her."

"Do you still have her text on your phone?" Jack asked.

Billy flipped through his phone stopping when he reached the text in question. He handed his phone to Jack.

Jack read the text, "Hey baby. I'm here and it's weird. There's no 1 else around. Is this a holiday I forgot about? B home soon… Love u…!"

"Do you know who she was going to meet?" Jack asked.

"No I don't but I believe that their office is located in the building with the cafeteria," Billy replied.

Jack thanked him for the information. He handed him a card with instructions to contact him if he remembered anything. "We'll find the person responsible for this."

"For his sake I hope you find him before I do," Billy stated as tears filled his eyes.

"Mr. Copeland, don't do anything that will jeopardize our investigation, or potentially get you into trouble. I know you're upset…"

"DO YOU? I HAVE LOST THE ONE PERSON THAT I LOVED MORE THAN LIFE ITSELF. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT'S LIKE?" Billy yelled as he threw a plate, shattering it against the fireplace.

"No, I'm sorry. I haven't been in your situation before, but you want us to find the person responsible and hold them accountable, right?" he asked.

"Yes sir. You have to find him before he does it again," Billy frustratingly responded.

Jack walked back to his car, sat behind the wheel and felt as though his heart was bursting from his chest. He pulled out his phone and dialed Elizabeth's number.

"Hi Jack. Are you still missing me?" she stated as she released a soft laugh.

"Always; I just wanted to hear your voice," he replied. "When I get done here, is it okay if I come by?"

"Of course Pookie," she replied.

"Keep thinking…" he stated before they ended the call.

Jack sat in his car, thankful that he could hear her voice, see her face, and touch her skin. How horrible he felt for Billy, who no longer had that opportunity. He was certain that Detective Schaeffer would consider Billy a person of interest; the boyfriend is always the first person suspected. However, Jack felt otherwise. His gut told him that the person or persons responsible were right there, on campus; he just needed to put everything together.

Jack walked into the precinct and was immediately confront by Detective Schaeffer.

"So, can we wrap this one up?" Detective Schaeffer asked.

"Seriously? How did you make it this far in your career?" Jack asked, having had enough of his 'all knowing' attitude. "I understand that you have your own gut instincts, but I have mine. It isn't the boyfriend, in either case," Jack passionately remarked.

"Well, we'll just see who's right," Detective Schaeffer remarked.

"Does it have to be a competition? Shouldn't we just try to work together?" Jack attempted one last time to reason with him. "I mean, we both want to catch this guy; that's the most important thing. Or at least it should be the most important."

Jack left the precinct and headed to the maintenance department on campus to talk again with Joe Williams.

"Hello Detective Thornton; did you have some more questions?" Mr. Williams asked.

"Mr. Williams, unfortunately we had another attack…"

"Oh no; poor girl," he stated. "What happened?"

"I'm sorry, but I'm not at liberty to say. Have you gotten your list of employees together yet?" Jack asked.

"Oh yes I have," Mr. Williams stated as he began to shuffle through papers on his desk. "Here it is," he stated as he handed the list to Jack.

Jack perused the list quickly, "Have all of these people been working here for the past 9 months or so?"

Mr. Williams took a look at the list, "Everyone but Jerome Spivey. We had to let him go a week ago. Hmm, just before that Emily girl was killed."

"Do you know where I can find him?" Jack asked.

"No I don't. He couldn't provide a permanent address, so school requirements were that I had to let him go," Mr. Williams explained.

Jack left the maintenance department and headed over to the school security office. He walked into the main office and pulled his badge from his pocket.

"Yes sir, what can I do for you?" Security Officer Henry Gowen asked.

Jack extended his arm to shake Officer Gowen's hand. "I'm investigating…"

"The murders," Officer Gowen blurted out.

"Yes sir. I need to know what your department is doing to provide security for the students and staff." Jack asked.

"We're always on duty 24 hours a day, but we've called in everyone; all leave has been cancelled, and we have more officers out patrolling," Officer Gowen replied.

"Do you have the staff to provide such coverage?" Jack asked.

"So far, so good. One of my officers left about two months or so ago to go back to school," Officer Gowen advised.

"Is it a male or female officer?" Jack asked.

"A male. He was a great worker, but he moved back home to study horticulture at the University of Florida," Officer Gowen explained.

"May I have a list of your officers, and anyone who has worked for you in the past 12 months?" Jack asked.

"Certainly, but I won't have it ready before tomorrow," Officer Gowen stated.

"I need it as soon as possible," Jack stated as he headed for the door. "Oh, by the way, women who are attending classes or simply find themselves out alone at night, are they able to call your office for an escort?"

"Most definitely. We can be anywhere on campus within minutes," he stated.

"Thank you for your help. I'll be by in the morning for the employee list. I'd appreciate you having it ready for me," Jack replied as he headed out the door and back to his car.

Jack arrived at Elizabeth's just as she was returning with Baloo from a run. "Damn she's hot when she's sweaty," he whispered, not really meaning to have the words escape his lips.

"Hey Boo Bug," she called out as she approached his truck.

"Keep thinking and never call me that one again," he stated as he stepped out of his truck, grabbed their dinner from the front seat, took her hand and they headed for her apartment.

"Mmm, Chinese? You are a very good man, Jack Thornton," she responded with a kiss to his cheek.

Once in the elevator, he pushed the stop button in between floors.

"Jack, what are you doing?"

His arms wrapped around her as his fingers gently ran up and down her spine coaxing shivers and a soft moan that lit his body on fire. He leaned down and rested his forehead on hers. Elizabeth was breathless and she watched as his eyes appeared to study hers with great intensity. His lips opened slightly as she dropped Baloo's leash, wrapped both arms around his neck and met his lips with hers. He welcomed her tongue as it slid gently along the inside of his mouth.

His lips closed and she felt his teeth slide across her tongue, causing her body to flush with heat. The Chinese food that he held hit the floor as he took her hands and raised them above her head.

His lips met hers again with such passion that he was certain fireworks were being released in the elevator. He leaned back slightly and looked into her blue eyes. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight as he realized just how closely she fit the type of woman that was being targeted.

"Jack, what's wrong?" she asked, as her hold on him tightened.

He pressed the button for the elevator to continue. He picked up their Chinese food, which surprisingly remained untouched, took her hand and as the door opened he led her down the hall, crowded with residents and visitors, to her apartment.

She didn't know what was wrong and her hand shook slightly as she attempted to open the door. He took the key from her hand and once the door was open, they stepped inside.

"Jack, you're scaring me. What's wrong?" she asked.

"Elizabeth, there's something wrong here," he began.

"Something wrong? Jack, the way you just kissed me in the elevator felt like something far from wrong," she replied.

They sat on the sofa, and he put his arm around her shoulders. "No, we're very right. It's something about this case. There's something wrong here; it's right in front of my face."

"I know you'll figure it out," she stated, showing the faith she had in his ability.

He wanted to solve the case to bring closure to the victim's families. However, his main push was in keeping Elizabeth safe.

She could tell that he was thinking, bothered by the case, so she kept quiet, allowing him to talk if he chose to. He didn't.

They ate dinner. Well, Elizabeth ate dinner. Jack picked at his. For the rest of the evening they sat side by side, skin to skin, as the TV played and she listened to him breathe.

"I should go," Jack stated as the clock struck 10pm.

"Are you okay Jack? You've been very quiet tonight," she commented.

"Just thinking. Elizabeth, you have to promise me that you won't walk alone on campus," he stated, providing her with more words in one sentence than he'd spoken in hours.

Before she could respond, he continued, "If you can't get a security officer, you call me."

"I promise Jack."

Jack didn't like her being outside alone walking Baloo after dark. So he held her hand and they took a walk around the complex before he saw her to her door and left for home.

The following afternoon, Elizabeth headed to campus to prepare for her 7pm class. It was a new mini session, and she didn't know what to expect. So she sat at her desk and prepared the paperwork that she would hand out to the 23 students who had signed up for her Intro to Education class.

Just before her students began arriving for class, Elizabeth called Jack…

"Hey, Bae, I'm getting ready to start class, and just wanted to talk to you before it got too late," she stated.

"Uh, keep thinking on the name. I miss you. Remember, no walking on campus alone," he stated almost as if he was scolding her.

"Jack, I promised you. I won't go out alone," she swore.

As her class wound down, she observed that he had texted her. Once her students left she checked her phone…

"Hey, u aren't by urself, right…?"

"I saw a security officer walking the halls. If I can't find him I text u back…"

Elizabeth stepped out into the hall and observed the officer standing by the snack machine at the end of the hall talking to one of the students in her class. Elizabeth caught his attention and he headed up the hall toward her.

"Yes ma'am; you need some help?" he asked.

"Yes sir, with what's been happening on campus, my boyfriend doesn't want me walking alone," she stated.

"Smart man. I'll be glad to walk you out. Are you ready to go?" he asked.

"Let me grab my purse and lock up the door," she replied.

She pulled out her phone and sent Jack a text…

"Security is here. I'm OK…"

The security officer stood in the hallway and a moment later she appeared with her purse over her shoulder and the keys to her Jeep in her hand.

"Let's go out this way," he stated.

They had only walked down several classrooms in the opposite direction when Jack ran in the door.

"Wait, Elizabeth…I'm here," Jack yelled out.

"Didn't you get my text? I'm safe. This nice man is walking me out," she stated.

"Thank you, but I'll take care of her from here," Jack stated as he checked out his name tag (Lennox), shook the man's hand and watched him head back down the hallway.

"Just a second…Why are you wearing long sleeves and everyone else is wearing short sleeves?"

"My tattoos. They have to be covered up," he stated.

"Thanks for the information," Jack called out as they walked in opposite directions.

"Honey, I just want to make sure you're okay," Jack stated as he took her hand and they headed for the parking lot.

"I told you that I wouldn't walk alone, and I didn't," she stated.

"I'm sorry, but I worry about you," he replied..

"Jack there isn't anything to be sorry about. I think it's sweet that you worry about me," she responded.

As they walked, she asked, "Why is it that the first name you come up with for me is fine, but you don't like any of the names I pick for you?"

He laughed, "I'm sorry, Elizabeth but Sweet Cheeks, Cuddle bug, and Pookie aren't very manly. And before you say anything, I know there are others, but none of them have struck me as masculine. I mean really, what man wants to be called Boo Bug?"

"Do you have any suggestions?" she asked.

"How about Jack?" he suggested. "That sounds manly."

"Well, then why do you call me honey?" she asked.

"That's simple; you're sweet as honey," he replied.

She wrapped her arm through his and rested her head on his shoulder. They walked out of the building, down the sidewalk and into the parking lot. Suddenly Jack stopped…

"What is it?" she asked.

"Shh," he whispered.

Jack remained still with his eyes being the only part of his body that moved. They stood perfectly still for a minute and then continued on without him explaining.

"Jack, did you hear something?" she asked.

"I thought I did, but I'm not sure," he replied. "You don't have class here again until Thursday, right?"

"Right, why?" she asked.

"I'll make arrangements to be here to walk you out," he stated.

"I'm a lucky girl," she stated as he opened the door to her Jeep and she slipped inside.

He leaned in and brushed his lips across hers, "I'm the lucky one."

Jack followed her home, walked with her to take Baloo for his nighttime walk, and saw her safely inside.

"Do you want to come in for a glass of wine?" she asked.

He pressed his lips to hers, "I'd love to, but if I come in, I'm not going to want to leave. I've got to go home and do some work on this case. I'm missing something that's right in front of me."

"Don't stay up too late, okay?" she pleaded.

"I'll be fine, Honey," he replied as he kissed her one last time and headed for the elevator.

"Hey Snookie," she called out.

He turned around, closed his eyes and shook his head from side to side.

"Okay, I'll keep thinking," she responded.

The following morning Jack went by the security office to pick up the requested information, but it wasn't ready. He advised that he would be by later in the day and expected it to be ready for pick up.

Later that afternoon a messenger stopped by Jack's office and he received the list of security employees for the past 12 months.

"There has got to be something here. I just know it," he frustratingly remarked. The first thing he did was to locate the name of the security officer he had met the night before…"Hmm, Lennox, there it is. Still employed!"

An hour later…

"Jack, did Schaeffer tell you that there was another attack? Her body was found behind the dumpster covered by a bunch of debris at the Education #2 building," Detective Fisher advised. "The Medical Examiner believes the time of death was between late last night and early this morning."

"What's with Detective Schaeffer? Is he not a team player? Does he think I'm trying to take something away from him here? If he does, he couldn't be farther from the truth. I'm just trying to make my own way here," Jack had finally lost it.

"Jack, he's old school, and doesn't really trust you new guys," Detective Fisher explained.

"Damn," Jack shouted as the realization of another attack struck him. His hands roughly brushed up and down his face. Knowing that he had to have missed something, he returned to his paperwork. "Who's the victim?"

Detective Fisher referred to a piece of paper, "Her name is Madeline Murphy. She was 19 years old, and education major, and like the others she was sexually assaulted and strangled. Also, just like the others, she had brown hair and blue eyes, but she was only 5'4".

Detective Fisher continued, "Detective Schaeffer is interviewing her boyfriend."

It was becoming more urgent that he find the attacker. Fear was running rampant on campus, and although he knew that the perpetrator would begin making mistakes, he needed to catch him before anyone else was attacked.

Jack picked up his cell phone and called Elizabeth…

"Hey Squeezy," she answered.

This was not a time to laugh, but he did find humor in her attempt to find an appropriate name for him.

She heard him laugh, but no words were spoken. "Okay, I'll keep thinking…"

"Elizabeth, do you know Madeline Murphy?" he asked to which there was total silence.

"Elizabeth, are you there?" he asked.

"What's wrong Jack?"

"Do you know her?"

"She's in my class, why?"

"She was attacked sometime between last night and this morning," he advised. "When did you see her last?"

He heard nothing but her crying on the phone, "Elizabeth, I'm sorry to have to ask you. Was she in class last night?"

"Yes, and it's my fault that she's gone," she cried out, her words quickly became unintelligible.

"How is it your fault?" he asked.

"She was in the hallway talking to the security guard, probably asking him to escort her out. I called him away to walk me out and she left. OMG, it's my fault that she's gone…"

Jack kept her on the phone for the 15 minute drive from his office to her apartment.

**Knock, knock…**

"Jack, someone is at my door. I'll be right back," she stated as she sat her phone on the table.

"It's me…"

She opened the door and said nothing as his arms slid around her waist and hers wrapped around his neck. They stood in the doorway holding each other for several minutes until he felt her body begin to calm. He took her hand and they walked to the sofa where they sat side by side.

"Elizabeth, none of this is your fault. We don't even know that she was asking him to escort her out, and if she did, he should have walked with both of you. I'll talk with him tomorrow," Jack stated.

He quietly held her for several hours, before sadly having to leave.

"I don't want you to go," she cried as her head burrowed into his chest.

"Honey, I have to find this guy," Jack stated as he stood up and walked to the door.

Standing just inside her apartment he whispered, "You are so important to me. I'll do whatever I have to do to keep you safe."

He wanted to stay; not only because she was upset, but selfishly he enjoyed being close to her. However, no one would be safe until the attacker was off the street.

He sat at his desk until 4am pouring through paperwork. Realizing the time, he didn't want to call Elizabeth, so he simply texted her.

"Sorry it's so L8 or actually early. I miss c ing u…"

Elizabeth heard the buzz on her phone. She was asleep, but reached over on her bedside table and grabbed her phone. She smiled at his text and quickly sent a response.

"I miss u 2. Can u meet me 4 coffee after my class 2morrow nite…?

"I mean 2 nite? Sorry didn't realize the time…" she quickly added on to her text.

"I'll try. We're wking nite and day on this case…"

"I understand. I'll c u when I c u. Just kno I miss u."

"I'll try 2 pick u up after class…"

"Ok, class is over at 8…"

"Isn't that earlier than normal…?"

"Classes at nite r ending at 8 until the person is caught…"

"I'll b there at 7:45…"

"C u then…"

"Good night Honey…"

"Good Night Precious…"

"Sounds like a cat. Keep thinking…"

"LOL…"

He walked into the precinct at 7:30am and continued to pour over paperwork when there was a knock on his door.

"Good morning Detective Schaeffer. What can I do for you?" Jack asked.

"I wanted to let you know that Officer Gowen came by to see you yesterday, but you weren't in. He said to tell you that one of his officers reported a uniform missing…"

Jack jumped up from his seat, "And you're just now telling me?"

To be continued…


	5. Chapter 5- Who Can You Trust

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters within this story. All rights and much respect go to Crown Media, Hallmark, Brian Bird, Michael Landon, Jr., the actors, creators, and writers of the show "When Calls the Heart."**

 ** _Note:_** ** _As stated before, this is a fictional story and the use of any locations are simply for story telling purposes, and is not to imply anything other than that._**

 ** _The storyline may be considered a bit dicey in places for some, so enter at your own risk…_**

 _ **Chapter 5- Who Can You Trust  
**_

_**RECAP:**_

He walked into the precinct at 7:30am and continued to pour over paperwork. Several hours later, his concentration was disturbed by a knock on the door.

"Good morning Detective Schaeffer. What can I do for you?" Jack asked, doing his best to be cordial.

"I wanted to let you know that Officer Gowen came by to see you yesterday, but you weren't in. He said to tell you that one of his officers reported a uniform missing…"

Jack jumped up from his seat, "And you're just now telling me?"

"Back off Thornton. I took care of it. I interviewed most of the people on the list, and it likely was a cleaning company snafu," Detective Schaeffer stated. "I'll interview the others this morning."

Jack wasn't certain that it was a coincidence, an accident or a mistake. He didn't care for Detective Schaeffer's unconcerned attitude. He was worried that it may have to do with the murders on campus, and he couldn't help but feel that another attack was imminent.

"Detective, I understand that you have your own ideas about what happened here, but would you at least admit that it's the same person?" Jack asked as he opened his file containing pertinent information about the three murders.

"You got me son…uh, Thornton. Yes, I agree that it appears to be the same person, or persons," Detective Schaeffer conceded.

"And I see that the ligature in each case was narrow, maybe a shoelace…" Detective Schaeffer surmised.

"Or a telephone cord," Jack suggested.

"Good thought, Jack," Detective Schaeffer agreed.

"The rape kit on the first two victims didn't come up with any seminal fluids, but did find saliva from where he bit the women on their shoulders. Apparently he was wearing a condom," Jack relayed the information from a report contained in his file.

"Fingernail scrapings on the first two victims were negative, but there appears to be something under the nails of the third victim. I heard from the Medical Examiner before I came in here, and they pulled whatever it is for testing," Detective Schaeffer advised.

He continued, "The first two women were attacked from behind, and probably never even saw their assailant. They were killed by strangulation, but injuries to their heads seem to show that they may have been knocked out early into the attack.

"Thank you for the information. I was aware of some of it," Jack stated. He closed his eyes and shook his head, "Those poor women; I feel so sorry for the ones they left behind."

Detective Steve Fisher entered the office, "Are you two getting along?"

"Jack, I'm sorry about before. Yes, as far as working together, we need to in order to find this guy," Detective Schaeffer stated as he approached Jack, extended his arm and they shook hands.

"Detective Schaeffer…" Jack started.

"Jack, call me James," Detective Schaeffer requested.

"James, I believe that there is something here I'm…we're missing. Maybe I've just been pouring over it by myself and I need fresh eyes," Jack commented.

Jack scratched his head. "I'm missing something. Wait, Lennox, did you interview a guy named Lennox?" Jack asked.

Detective Schaeffer looked through his notes, "Lennox…Lennox…no, no one by the name of Lennox."

"Jack searched through his notes and found the list of security employees. They were listed in alphabetical order…  
Adams  
Alberts  
Corcoran  
Daniels  
Eichman  
Franks  
Henry  
Johnson  
King  
Kaufman  
Landers  
Leeds  
Lennox  
Martin  
Masters  
Mitchell- Left to return to school  
Owens  
Pope  
Stoneman  
Taylor

"Landers…Leeds…Lennox," Jack whispered as his eyes searched the room as if he was looking for something. "We need to interview Lennox. The last attack occurred at or near the Education building. He was there, because he was walking Elizabeth to her car when I showed up."

Jack picked up his office phone and dialed the university security office. "This is Detective Thornton. I need to speak with Officer Gowen; it's urgent."

Jack listened as the person on the other end of the line spoke. He then responded, "I need you to get in touch with him and have him call me immediately."

Jack returned his attention to the other two detectives in his office.

"We can be a great team if we work together." Detective Fisher proclaimed. "James, I know that you have two daughters, and I have my wife and a daughter, but Jack, are you married?"

"No, I'm not married, but my girlfriend, Elizabeth, teaches a class in the education building at the university on Tuesday and Thursday nights. This guy is getting too close to her. The last victim was in her class," Jack stated as he began to wring out his hands while pacing across the floor.

Detective Schaeffer continued, "I've called in a few favors and they pushed this case to the front of the line. Hopefully we will have some initial results from the lab within 48 hours."

"48 HOURS? We don't have 48 hours," Jack frustratingly yelled. He suddenly took a breath and turned back toward James. "The person who is missing the uniform; what's his name?"

James looked back on his notes, "Oh, his name is Owens."

Jack grabbed his keys and phone, "I've got something I need to do; I'll be back shortly."

Jack sat in his car, pulled out his phone and called Elizabeth. "Good morning. Did you get any sleep?"

"I should be asking you that," she replied.

"I'm fine; I just don't have time to sleep right now. I've got to find him; and you…"

"I know Jack. I will not walk alone on campus. I promise to be careful and will make sure that I have a security officer…"

"Yes, that's important, but honey, Can't you just give up this class until we catch this guy?" he asked, knowing in his heart what her answer would be.

"Jack, it's my job. I can't quit anymore than you can," she replied.

"It's a little different, don't you think? I mean, my job is keeping people safe," he rationalized.

"True, but people just can't stop living when things like this happen," she replied.

"I'm not talking about other people, Elizabeth. I'm talking about you," he stated; his heart pounded as he came close to telling her the depth of his true feelings for her.

"Jack, I'm taking precautions; I won't walk out of class without you, a group of people or an escort, but I don't want to live my life in fear," she replied. "I'm not saying I'm not scared, because I am, but if I'm careful, then I should be safe, right?"

Jack wasn't certain that he should be telling her anything, but he'd do whatever he needed to in order to keep her safe, "I can't tell you what's going on, but don't leave with anyone who is wearing a uniform with the nametag "Owens."

"I pro…Jack you…so…to…concerned," she replied.

"Elizabeth, are you at home? Your phone is breaking up…"

"Elizabeth… Don't leave class without me…"

"Elizabeth, can you hear me?"

"Jack…" she called out before realizing that her phone was dead. She plugged it into the cigarette lighter in her Jeep as she went about running errands.

Jack ran by her apartment hoping to see her in person, but there was no answer. He did hear Baloo barking with each knock on the door. He pulled out a piece of paper and a pen leaving her a note, which he slid under the door.

As he ran back down the hall, he had to dodge the cleaning company that arrived to shampoo the carpets. He made it out to the parking lot where he sat in his car and again called Elizabeth; this time reaching her voicemail.

"Hi, you've reached me, but I'm sorry, I can't take your call right now. So leave a message if you like and I'll get back with you soon…" *BEEP*

" _ **Elizabeth, I need to talk with you. Please make sure you call me before you go to school tonight. Whatever you do, don't leave with anyone but me…Call me!"**_ he stated sternly, hoping that his tone would show his urgency.

As the carpet cleaner reached the end of the hallway, he bent down and picked up a piece of paper that apparently had been trapped at some point under the vacuum. He picked it up and looked behind him at his coworker who was operating the carpet cleaner.

"Do you know where this came from?" he asked.

"No man, I was back here. What does it say?" the second man asked.

The first man unfolded the paper…

" _ **Honey, don't leave tonight until I come by to get you. Do not leave with anyone but me. Jack"**_

"Okay, so what do I do with this? There are 8 apartments on the hall. Where do we put this?" the first man asked.

"Hmm, sounds like this guy is kinda possessive. Just throw it away and we'll pretend we never saw it," the second man replied and he watched as the paper was tossed into the trash can.

Elizabeth stopped by the pet store to pick up Baloo's food, and a few new toys and treats. She was loading the items in her Jeep when she felt her cart push against her legs. Shocked, she turned around…

"I'm sorry ma'am. Are you okay?" he asked.

"No, I'm fine," she stated as she backed away slightly.

He took the cart and pushed it back toward the store hopeful that she, a customer, would not complain to his boss about him striking her.

She stood there momentarily trying her best to catch her breath. She watched the other people in the parking lot as they scurried from place to place, none of them appearing to have a care in the world. She hated feeling on edge, as if she were the next victim on tap. However, because she knew more about what was happening on campus, her concern for her own safety led to an additional stop. She walked back to her Jeep and confidently slipped inside, knowing that she had taken the steps needed to help protect herself.

It was a school night and often too late after class to eat dinner. With it being such a beautiful day, she decided to take advantage of it, grabbed a late lunch and headed for the park.

As she pulled into the parking lot, it was bustling with moms playing with their children, and a pickup football game in the open field beside the picnic tables.

She grabbed her sub, drink and her bag, and headed for one of the free tables. She watched the children playing for a few moments before opening her bag and pulling out her journal. She took a bite out of her sub, but nearly choked as her thoughts were suddenly taken back to her student Madeline, the third victim.

She opened her journal and flipped to the next blank page. She wiped her eyes, took a deep breath and did her best to calm the swirling of thoughts that she feared were consuming her. She clicked her pen and attempted to convey her thoughts and feelings onto the paper…

" _ **We glance at the beauty before us, often unaware of the evil that hides within. We try our best to focus on the positives, when in a heartbeat the negatives wrap us in their cloak of darkness, pushing us down, allowing the fear to enter our lives.**_

 _ **Is it ever possible to know the depth of someone's anger, hatred or despair? Even those we've known all of our lives have secrets, of that we can be certain. However, are these private thoughts simply the ingredients that make Aunt Florence's pound cake so moist; the fact that the electric company is undercharging them and they remain silent, or could it be that evil lurks within just waiting for the perfect time to pounce on their unsuspecting prey?**_

 _ **Living in fear is certainly not living, and it allows your villain an undeserved win. Anytime we back away from what is right and deserving, we give the advantage to the devil, allowing him to turn one against another as the navigation for what's just becomes cloudy.**_

 _ **We are told from the time we are small, that in life some rain must fall; that life is not always fair, and to watch what you do because Karma is a bitch. I've experienced the 'rain' part. The 'not fair' part has reared its ugly head from time to time. As for Karma, well she chooses to work alone, often leaving us to ponder if the bitch part has come to pass. I'm certain that I'm not the only person who has wished that I could be present when she worked her wonders.**_

 _ **Although I believe in taking precautions and not opening up oneself to become the prey of another, I also refuse to live my life in fear. For I believe that when you give into those feeling of an unknown entity, that you somehow become lost along the way.**_

 _ **My responsibility is to arm myself with what is needed for protection. Assistance from those we trust is wonderful, but cannot always be depended upon. For when the time comes, the only person you can guarantee that will be with you; is you."**_

Jack took a drive through the university grounds, finding himself outside of the Education building. It was still several hours before Elizabeth's scheduled class, but he found himself walking the halls, searching for any clues that may have been overlooked.

Walking down the hall, Jack was approached by an NC State security officer walking in the opposite direction.

"Excuse me," Jack called out as he pulled his badge from his pocket.

"Yes sir…" the officer replied.

"Why are you not in long sleeves?" Jack asked as he observed the officer's name…Daniels.

"We don't change into long sleeves until the end of September," he stated.

"You don't have to cover your tattoos? Jack asked.

"No sir," he replied with an odd look before continuing on his way.

Jack pulled out his cell phone, "Officer Gowen please…"

Jack was advised that Officer Gowen was out of the office at a meeting that was called by the university. He left his number and advised that he needed Officer Gowen to return his call immediately.

Jack headed back to the precinct and was met by James, "They called a meeting at the university."

"Shouldn't we be there?" Jack asked.

"The Captain told Steve to represent us," James advised.

"James, I don't know who he is, but I believe that the attacker is presenting himself as a security officer," Jack stated.

James replied, "How did you come to that conclusion?"

"Tuesday night I told Elizabeth that I would be there to walk her out, but not to go with anyone other than a security officer. I ran in the building as this guy, dressed up as the security officer was taking her out a back door," Jack explained.

"Okay that's odd, but it doesn't make him a killer," James responded.

"No, it doesn't, but I asked him why he was wearing long sleeves and the other officers are still in short sleeves…"

"And?"

Jack explained, "He said that he had to cover his tattoos."

"Well, I know other companies that require tattoos be covered up, so I don't know," James replied.

"I interviewed Security Officer Daniels over at the university a little while ago..."

"So what did he have to say that has you so certain?" James asked.

Jack continued, "He was in short sleeves and had tattoos covering his arms. He said that they are not required to cover them. I have a call into Officer Gowen, but I'm going to see the department's sketch artist in the meantime."

Jack headed to the south end of the building to see the sketch artist. Several hours later he returned to his office with a sketch in hand and knowledge that the picture had been distributed to all officers, security and police, as a person of interest. He then picked up his phone to call Officer Gowen…

Back at the university, Elizabeth arrived early for class. She unplugged her phone from the charger, followed a group of people into the building and settled at her desk doing work as her students slowly began to arrive.

She called Jack but by the beep on the phone she could tell that he was on another call. She waited for his voicemail to connect and left her a message…

" _ **Jack, I saw that you called earlier. Sorry, I went to buy Baloo's food and my phone died. It's been on the charger and is full now, but I'm turning down the ringer because class is getting ready to start. Remember, class is over at 8, but I won't walk by myself. If you can't make it, I'll be sure to leave with a security guard. Don't worry about me. I miss you and I hope to see you soon."**_

Back at Jack's office…

"Detective Thornton, I was just reaching for the phone to contact you," Officer Gowen replied.

"Are your officers allowed to show their tattoos?" Jack asked.

"We have no requirements about covering them up," Officer Gowen replied.

"Well, I talked with a security officer on Tuesday night wearing long sleeves…"

"My men aren't in long sleeves yet. Who was the officer?" Gowen asked.

"Officer Lennox," Jack replied.

There was silence on the other end of the phone.

"Officer Gowen, are you there," Jack called out.

"Detective Thornton, I'm sorry, but I've messed up here," Gowen responded.

"How so?" Jack asked.

"You had asked about staff and if I had the necessary coverage, and well, Officer Lennox works the front desk, but has been off for the past 10 days. His father recently passed away. I'm so sorry; I didn't think about him because he was on desk assignment and wasn't out on patrol. I should have listed him as on leave," Gowen advised.

"What about your officer who was missing a uniform?" Jack asked.

"It was a cleaning issue. It was delivered by accident to another security office," Gowen advised.

Jack contacted the dispatcher and authorized a BOL be issued for the individual in the sketch. He was still worried about Elizabeth, but felt somewhat comforted in the knowledge that there was a strong police presence on campus this evening. However, no one but him would go above and beyond to protect her. As a result he kept a close watch on the clock, knowing that he would need to leave by 7:45 to get to her class by 8pm.

Checking his phone, Jack quickly realized that there was a message from Elizabeth and immediately clicked it on to listen…

" _ **Jack, I saw that you called earlier. Sorry, I went to buy Baloo's food and my phone died. It's been on the charger and is full now, but I'm turning down the ringer because class is getting ready to start. Remember, class is over at 8, but I won't walk by myself. If you can't make it, I'll be sure to leave with a security guard. Don't worry about me. I miss you and I hope to see you soon."**_

It was now 6:30pm and Jack was called into Steve's office to go over the information that occurred during the earlier meeting. Jack discussed the information he had with the task force. The campus was broken up into a grid and the officers and detectives made their way out into the parking lot for the short ride over to the university.

Jack glanced at his watch, 7:15pm, and he took a relaxing breath knowing that he had plenty of time to reach Elizabeth before her class ended.

Elizabeth received notice of an earlier release after her class started, and she wondered about the intelligence of even having class for such a short time. It didn't matter to her students as she watched them happily leave class; everyone walking out in a group, figuring that they were safer in numbers.

Jack reached his car, but before slipping inside, he realized that his phone was missing.

"Steve, I need to run back to my office; I forgot my phone. I'll be right back," Jack yelled as he headed back to his office.

"Hurry up," Steve yelled back as patrol car after patrol car followed the detectives in their city issued vehicles.

Steve pulled their vehicle up to the front of the building and Jack jumped in. Looking at his watch he felt relieved that he would reach Elizabeth's class before the students were dismissed.

"We've got to find this guy, Steve. He's bold. I mean, if it is the guy I talked to, he seemed very casual, and not the least bit concerned that people were walking around and seeing him," Jack stated with a frustrating breath.

He continued, "The whole university is on edge, as they should be, but to cut an hour off of classes at night…"

"An hour? Jack they shut classes down tonight at 7. The professors didn't even know until they arrived for class. There's so much fear on campus that night classes are being cancelled until further notice," Steve explained.

Jack looked at his watch again, 7:22pm and he dialed her number. "Damn it, Elizabeth. I need to talk to you," he slammed the phone down on the dashboard in frustration. Almost simultaneously, the ding on his phone alerted him to a text message which he immediately pulled up… __

"Class ended early. I kno ur busy and can't meet me. Security officer from the other nite is here and will walk me out. Call me L8r if you can. Miss U…"

"No, no, No, No, NO," he yelled into the phone.

"What's wrong Jack?" Steve asked.

To be continued…

 _ **Note:**_

 _ **I'm sorry to leave you hanging, but I am working on the next chapter, and I promise to have it up by Monday…I hope!**_


	6. Chapter 6- Lipstick to the Rescue

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters within this story. All rights and much respect go to Crown Media, Hallmark, Brian Bird, Michael Landon, Jr., the actors, creators, and writers of the show "When Calls the Heart."**

 ** _Note:_** ** _As stated before, this is a fictional story and the use of any locations are simply for story telling purposes, and is not to imply anything other than that._**

 ** _The storyline may be considered a bit dicey in places for some, so enter at your own risk…_**

 _ **Chapter 6- Lipstick to the Rescue**_

Jack called into the dispatcher, "This is Detective Thornton. The man we're looking for is wearing a university security officer uniform, most likely long sleeves. His picture was sent out in the BOL earlier. I need units sent to the Education #2 building. I believe that he is accompanied by a white female, 29 years old, auburn hair, blue eyes, 5'7"with a slender build."

"Elizabeth, I think he may have Elizabeth…" Jack yelled.

Elizabeth grabbed her bag, phone and keys and met the security guard at the door. The hallway resembled an office ten minutes after a 5pm closing. There was no one left but her and…

"Lennox? What's your first name?" she asked trying to make small talk with this man she didn't know.

"I go by my last name," he stated as he took her arm, attempting to lead her out the back door.

"Excuse me, Lennox, but my car is out in the front parking lot," she stated as she turned back in the opposite direction.

Suddenly a sense of uneasiness overcame her. Hoping that she, like most of those on campus, was simply experiencing the nervousness of the unknown, she held her purse close and casually slipped her phone into her pocket. She quickly realized how sour this situation was becoming.

He began dragging her out the back door as his hold on her arm tightened, knocking her purse to the ground when she tried her best to pull away.

Elizabeth began to scream and kick; stopping only when he put a knife to her throat.

As the contents of her purse were scattered on the ground, he pulled her down, ripping her blouse and cutting her arm in the process, before he began scavenging for items of interest.

"What's this?" he asked as he held a small cylinder shaped object in his hand.

"Lipstick," she quickly replied as her eyes remained focused on the blade of the knife, which now contained her blood.

"I hate lipstick. You women wear it and kiss us and it leaves that crap all over us. That's nasty stuff," he stated as he dropped it on the ground.

Elizabeth's hand covered the item as she carefully stuck it in her pocket.

She felt her phone buzz, signifying an incoming call, but was afraid to reach into her pocket.

"Elizabeth…Please answer. Hurry up Steve, she's in trouble; I know it," Jack yelled as his fist slammed the dashboard.

"Lennox" grabbed her wallet, pulling out her driver's license and immediately removing the $63 in cash that was contained within.

"Thanks baby. I need a hit and this will help." He looked at her license, "Hmm, you live close by. We could go to your place. I know exactly where this is. Come on let's go party," he stated as he pulled her to her feet, leaned in and his tongue slid along the edge of her jaw toward her lips. He tossed her wallet, and began dragging her to his car.

She closed her eyes and prayed that someone would find her ID, credit cards and other pertinent items that were left behind.

She continued to fight with him as he jerked her arms behind her back and pushed her toward the lone car in the small parking lot.

She was petrified and in her pounding heart, she believed that if he managed to get her in the car, he would eventually kill her.

Once at the car, Elizabeth again began to fight. He slammed the back of her head on the roof of the car and she was suddenly quiet. He slid in the passenger side, pulling her body over next to him.

He pulled out of the parking lot, passing numerous police and security vehicles as he headed away from campus.

She opened her eyes, but immediately closed them, hoping that if she played dead that he would simply take her money and leave. She felt the point of the knife in her side and the wetness on her arm as the blood ran from the deep slice in her skin. Her body shuddered as she listened to him talk…

"Hmm, you're a feisty one; I like 'em with some fire. Those others gave up too easily."

Tears flowed from her eyes as she felt his fingers working together with the knife while moving up and down her arm. Her skin crawled and her stomach turned as she felt him touching her.

"Wait, here's the perfect place," she heard him say as she felt the car veer to the left into a parking lot.

Six police and security vehicles converged on the Education #2 building, as the officers quickly perused the cars, trucks and motorcycles parked there. Students watched as the officers fanned out in search of "Lennox" and Elizabeth.

Jack ran to Elizabeth's room, finding her missing and nothing askew, he ran out into the hallway. He pulled out his phone and dialed her number again. He yelled in frustration as his call was again transferred to her voicemail.

Over his radio, he heard a call about evidence being found and he ran out the back door. Seeing officers shaking their heads he ran up to find Elizabeth's driver's license, credit cards, and red stains which appeared to be blood dotting the sidewalk.

He pulled out his phone again, knowing in his heart that she was still alive, and dialed her number…

Elizabeth winced in pain as he opened the door, grabbed her injured arm and pulled her out onto the ground. The only positive thing was that she no longer felt the sharp blade of the knife against her skin, but wondered where it was as he slammed the door behind her.

Surprisingly, she recognized where she was, having been there on several occasions. Holding her close he pulled her around several structures to the back, dragging her toward a smaller building, when he felt her pocket 'buzz.'

"What's that?" he yelled.

"My phone," she replied and she fought with him for possession.

"It's my boyfriend," she stated as she pulled it out of his hand.

He grabbed her by her ponytail, "Don't answer it."

"I have to. He'll know something is wrong if I don't," she yelled, bordering between fear and anger.

He held her arm tightly; the pain from her injury sending waves of nausea throughout her body.

"Don't say anything, or I swear I'll kill you right here," he threatened as he pushed the speaker button.

"Hey Boo Bug," she stated as she answered her phone, trying desperately not to break down. "You're on speaker, so be nice."

"I'm always nice," he stated. He heard her voice wavering but pretended that nothing was wrong. "Hey Sugar, when are you coming home?" Jack asked. He knew that she was in the company of the assailant and wished that he could crawl through the phone and protect her. Just hearing her voice brought tears to his eyes. He wanted to keep her talking, hopefully learning some clues as to where she was.

"Boo, can you do me a favor?" she asked, her voice quivered with every word.

"Anything," he replied as his heart pounded and his mouth felt incredibly dry.

"Would you go by the barn and feed Baloo for me?" she asked trying to remain calm and sound strong. "I got tied up with the girls and I didn't get by to feed him. Please take care of him for me."

Something about her last statement sounded to him as if she was saying goodbye but she wanted to make certain that her faithful companion was cared for in her absence. Initially confused, he realized that she was trying to give him clues. "Where is his food?"

"They keep the food bins in the equipment room behind the barn," She stated.

"Lennox" was becoming impatient and began pulling the phone away from her ear. "Come on, I've got plans for you," he grabbed her arm and the phone fell to pavement, shattering the screen and disconnecting the call.

Jack fought to control his temper, but found himself failing miserably.

"What did she say," Officer Gowen asked, hoping to help locate her.

"She asked me to go to the barn and take care of her dog. He's not at the barn; he lives in her apartment," he racked his brain knowing that time was not on her side.

"What else did she say?" Gowen asked.

"She said his food was kept in a bin in the equipment room behind the barn," Jack replied as he felt himself beginning to sweat.

"Come on," Gowen stated as they ran to the small structure behind the Education building. Gowen pulled the door up, rushed inside and drove a golf cart out.

"WHAT'S THIS FOR?" Jack yelled.

"Jack, don't you remember the show site down the road? There's a barn and an equipment building behind it," Gowen explained as they headed off campus, through the state fair site, and pulled into the parking lot at the Gov. James B. Hunt Jr. Horse Complex a short distance away.

The complex initially appeared to be empty. There was one car parked on the darkened west side of the barn.

Jack pulled out his phone and called the dispatcher, "This is Detective Thornton. I need to run a license plate… North Carolina plates AZK 4092.

"Sir, those plates are to a 2015 Dodge 2500 pickup truck," she advised as Jack and Gowen circled the car.

"Wait, what kind of car do the plates belong to?" Gowen asked.

"A 2015 Dodge 2500 pickup truck," Jack replied.

"That's what Ian Lennox, my officer who is on leave drives," Gowen advised.

Jack called in to dispatch, "We need back up over at the horse complex; NO LIGHTS OR SIRENS. All units pull in the front and park. No one is to drive past the first building," Jack's voice was elevated as he and Gowen continued searching.

Hearing what they thought were voices, they both took off around barn number one, only to find several more barns before them. Jack sent Gowen to the left and he covered the buildings to the right. As Jack came around the side of the barn, he observed several other buildings. He was frustrated, knowing that each building needed to be investigated. As he checked each structure, he listened intently for sounds, anything that would help him narrow down Elizabeth's location.

"Lennox" dragged Elizabeth toward the small building behind the last barn that he assumed would provide privacy. The door was locked, but as he held her tightly, he kicked the door open and proceeded to pull her inside.

Elizabeth felt so alone. She was sickened by the fact that she had waited her whole life to experience intimate love with the right man, but knew that this monster planned to take that special part of her, before doing his best to end her life.

He closed the door behind them, containing her, but still he refused to release her. Alone, she felt his hands moving over her body and she froze.

"Where's that fire you showed earlier?" he laughed as his fingers slid down the side of her face, across to her chin and down her throat to the top button on her blouse.

Her breathing was rapid as she broke free from his hold, dug down deep into her pocket and pulled out her "lipstick."

As he approached, he raised his arm and backhanded her across the face, sending her slamming against the wall. "AAAH," she screamed as her body lay in a crumpled heap.

She opened her eyes and observed an object on the floor a few feet away from her. Slowly she crawled toward it, reaching her arm out, as he came up behind her, wrapped a telephone cord around her neck and began tightening it.

As she struggled with him, trying desperately to get her hand underneath the cord, she popped the top on her "lipstick" and sprayed mace over her shoulder, praying that she would make contact.

"You bitch," he yelled as he pushed her head first to the floor, and immediately began to wipe his face.

She rolled over to face him, remembering that Jack had told her that the other women were strangled from behind. She quickly realized that this monster before her was beyond angry. He straddled her legs to hold her still and began tearing at her clothes, as her voice finally returned and she began screaming.

Her uninjured arm was flailing trying her best to make contact with any uncovered parts of his body. Her nails scratched at his face, his arms, and his chest as he ripped the buttons from his shirt and threw it to the ground.

He grabbed her arms, pushed them under his knees, as he bent down trying his best to make contact with her lips.

Her head moved from side to side, barely managing to escape his lips when he slapped her across the face, held her still with his hands, and kissed her hard. She refused to give up, "HELP…PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME…PLEASE…" she screamed until she felt his hands cover her throat and tighten around her. She continued thrashing about until the room began to darken and she felt the air leaving her body.

Suddenly she felt his weight lifted from her body. Finally, a reprieve, a second chance, an opportunity to survive, but her breath was gone. She couldn't yell, scream, or breathe. Once before as a child, she fell from a horse, landing flat on her back, knocking every bit of air from her lungs. She considered it funny how she thought back to that point and the feeling that she was going to die. It didn't happen then, and she was bound and determined not to allow it to happen now.

She slowly opened her eyes; in the dim light she could not make out the additional person in the room, but she felt an odd sense of calm; she was no longer alone.

They were fighting; the lamp on the table, providing the only light, was knocked from its stand putting her into complete darkness. She could hear their fists making contact; bodies were thrown against the wall and suddenly a thud, and she was again alone with someone, but whom?

The air finally entered her lungs as she moved toward the wall and any hiding place that she could find.

Suddenly a flashlight clicked on, and a voice she didn't recognize, "Is she in here?" A man's voice sounded as the flashlight scanned the room.

Elizabeth drew her legs up and rested her head on her knees. She tried not to breathe hoping that if she made no sound that she would be left behind. However, her heart was pounding so loudly that each beat sounded like an explosion in her ears. How could she possibly keep that quiet?

"Elizabeth…where are you? It's me, Jack," she heard a familiar voice.

 _ **Is it really him? Is it a trick?**_ She thought.

"Elizabeth, please answer me. You're safe now," Jack spoke softly, knowing how scared she must be.

"Jack," she whispered without raising her head.

"Shine it over there; I think I heard something," Jack suggested as Gowen pointed over in the corner.

As the flashlight scanned the area, he saw her. She was dirty; her clothes were torn, and she was bloody.

He rushed to her, but didn't touch her for fear of frightening her more. Her sleeve was ripped exposing the gash in her arm that continued to bleed. The buttons down the front of her blouse were popped open as if each side of her shirt was pulled in opposite directions. The zipper on her slacks was broken as her pants barely hung on her hips.

Seeing nothing that he could use to cover her, he pulled his shirt from the waistband of his pants, quickly unbuttoned it and pulled it off.

"Honey, I'm just going to put this around you to cover you up, okay?" He squatted down beside her, trying to hold his emotions together, feeling as though he was close to breaking down.

He slipped his shirt over her, "Elizabeth, is it okay if I pick you up and get you out of here?"

She couldn't speak; her adrenaline rush was over and now she was exhausted. She simply shook her head up and down.

Jack picked her up and carried her all the way from the back of the complex to the front, gently setting her down on the seat of the golf cart. He pulled his shirt closed, then grabbed a blanket from the back of the cart and completely covered her body.

Jack observed a parking lot that went from predominately empty to nearly full with officers milling about carefully searching for evidence.

Jack called for an ambulance to take Elizabeth to the hospital. Upon arrival, she was loaded onto a stretcher and placed in the back of the "bus." Jack sat outside while the paramedics assessed her condition and obtained her vital signs.

As the ambulance prepared to leave, Jack opened the door to step inside…

"I'm sorry sir, but you'll need to follow us to the hospital," one of the paramedics advised.

Jack quickly pulled his badge, flashing it in the paramedic's face, "Back away. I'm riding with her."

Jack paced outside her exam room as his college friend Dr. Edward Payne evaluated Elizabeth's condition. He finally took a seat on the bench outside her room waiting for some word, hopefully some positive news.

Dr. Payne stepped out into the hallway…

"Hey Ed," Jack stated as he jumped up from his seat.

"Hey Jack…what, no crack about my name?" Dr. Payne teased.

"Sorry Ed, but this case is important. I don't have time to joke," Jack remarked.

"Sorry; is it just a case Jack? I mean is she more to you than just a case?" Ed asked.

"What do you mean?" Jack asked as he shifted his weight from one leg to the other.

"Jack, do you have feelings for this woman?" Ed asked his old friend.

"I guess you know me too well. How is she?" Jack asked.

"She's lucky to be alive. She has a pretty deep gash in her arm, which is being cleaned and stitched up; she has a concussion, several bumps and bruises on her head and face, and the marks on her neck show that her assailant meant business," Ed stated as he flipped through her chart.

Ed continued, "I don't know who saved her but…"

"Ed…"

"Jack, I know what you're going to ask. Are you asking because she is a victim and you're investigating, or is it personal?" he asked.

"Probably both," Jack responded.

"No Jack, she wasn't raped, but by the condition of her clothes when she arrived, she was saved just in time," he replied.

"May I see her?" Jack asked.

"Wait until the nurse comes out. They are cleaning her up, and taking care of her arm. We gave her something to calm her down, so she may sleep," Ed advised.

Jack shook his hand and thanked him for taking such good care of her, and then he sat on the bench outside her room waiting for the nurse to exit.

Forty-five minutes later, the nurse exited the room, "She's sleeping, but Dr. Payne said that you could sit with her if you wanted to."

Jack jumped up, entered the room, and slowly approached her bed. He pulled up a chair beside her bed and took a seat, carefully taking her hand in his. With his free hand he wiped away several stray tears that easily managed to slip from his own eyes.

Jack took several deep breaths, trying desperately to calm his own runaway freight train of a heart. He knew that she was asleep, but there were some things that he needed to say to her…

" _ **I'm sorry; I'm so sorry that I let this happen to you,"**_ he whispered as his fingers gently brushed across the top of her hand. His voice wavered as he continued, _**"You are so important to me…I…I…don't know how it happened. One day I met this beautiful, independent woman on the beach, and before I knew it I fell. I fell so hard for you. I have never before had someone open my heart so completely and step inside. Elizabeth, you are my world and my heart is truly yours."**_

Elizabeth remained hospitalized overnight for observation, and Jack remained by her bed all night.

"Jack," she whispered as she brushed his disheveled hair away from his closed eyes. She quickly realized that he was asleep.

" _ **I'm sorry; I'm so sorry that I let this happen. I pray that you can forgive me, and that you don't think lesser of me because of it,"**_ she spoke softly as she slipped her hand into his. _**"Oh, who am I kidding…how could you not?"**_ she stated, pulling a Kleenex from the box on the table by her bed and dabbing it at her eyes. _**"Thank you…thank you for saving my life,"**_ she whispered, trying to keep from completely breaking down and waking him. _**"You are such a good man, Jack Thornton, and I am so blessed that we met. How is it that we haven't known each other that long, but I feel closer to you than I have any other person in my entire life?"**_

Jack woke to find Elizabeth sleeping and he assumed that she had slept through the night. He brought her hand to his lips before stepping out to get a cup of coffee. As he stepped out into the hallway, he found Officer Gowen sitting on the bench outside her room.

"Detective Thornton…"

"Yes sir, what are you doing here?" Jack asked as he stepped away from the door, watching it close behind him.

"The assailant has been identified, and I wanted you to know," Gowen stated.

"Know what?" Jack asked.

"I know him; I turned him down for a job. His name is Norton Brockwell. He's ex-military; served a few tours in Afghanistan, and when he came home, he lived with one of my men. Actually, he still lives with him," Gowen began to explain.

"Let me guess…Lennox?" Jack surmised.

"Yes, there was something about him that concerned me, so I suggested that he see a therapist, and once he finished counseling, I'd reconsider him. He blew up at me, stormed out and I didn't hear anything more from him," Gowen explained. "That was 2 weeks ago."

Gowen continued, "How's your girlfriend?"

"She's been sleeping. No physical injuries that won't heal, but we haven't talked. That'll come later," Jack replied.

"Just so you know, Brockwell is here, in the hospital, but he's under guard. He suffered some injuries, and are patching him up before they book him," Gowen advised.

"He's lucky that I didn't kill him," Jack stated under his breath.

Gowen stuck out his arm to shake Jack's hand, "I hope your girlfriend will be okay. Thank you Jack for everything you did on this case. I know the answer, but are you interested in working for the university?"

"Thanks for the offer, but I'm happy where I am," Jack responded.

Jack walked with Gowen toward the front of the hospital and wished him well as they went their separate ways. Jack headed toward the cafeteria, but found himself standing outside the ER where an armed guard stood outside an exam room.

"Is he by himself?" Jack asked as he pulled his badge from his pocket.

"Yes sir," the officer replied.

Jack stepped inside and found the man with both arms handcuffed to the bed rails.

"I have nothing to say to you," Brockwell stated before Jack had even reached his bed.

"Good, so you listen to me…" Jack stated as he pulled a chair up close to the bed. He leaned in and spoke softly, "You are a poor excuse for a man, and you've brought shame to the brotherhood of soldiers."

"Go to hell. I don't care what you think," Brockwell vehemently spate.

"That's obvious, but I want to make something abundantly clear…"

"What's that?" Brockwell responded.

"The last woman you attacked was my girlfriend…"

Brockwell blurted out, "Oh, she was fun. Probably the best one. She wanted me to touch her, to make her feel like a woman. Apparently you're lacking in that area."

Jack's hands went around Brockwell's throat, "You're going away for a long time, but if you ever come near her again; if you so much as contact her by email, letter or carrier pidgeon…" Jack leaned in to Brockwell's ear and whispered, "I'll kill you with my own hands." Jack released him and walked out the door returning to his spot beside her bed.

A few hours later, after the sun had risen on a new day, Jack walked as Elizabeth rode in a wheelchair down to the hospital entrance. The outward injuries aside, Elizabeth's body was sore and stiff, but she did her best to smile through the pain she was experiencing.

He helped her into his truck and they headed back to her apartment. As they walked down the hallway, she hesitated.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Her respiration increased, "He knows where I live."

"Let's get some of your things and you can stay at my place for awhile," Jack suggested.

"I can't. If I do that, he wins," she stated as she continued to her apartment and a very excited four legged friend.

"Baloo, I'm so sorry. Jack, would you mind taking him out for me?" she asked.

Jack happily agreed. He helped her inside, grabbed Baloo's leash and promised to be back in a few minutes. As he walked down the hall, the custodian was emptying trash cans, and dragging the bags toward the elevator.

As the custodian pulled the bags through the door and the ride down to the first floor, Jack asked, "Don't you have a cart for that?"

"Emilio has the cart on another floor," he stated as a snag in the bag tore emptying some of the contents.

Baloo was very interested in the items being dispersed on the floor as Jack bent down to help the custodian clean up the mess. Out of the corner of his eye he saw it; a crumpled piece of paper that appeared oddly familiar.

He picked it up, opened it and observed that it was the note he had left Elizabeth. His heart sank as he realized that had she gotten the note, the attack may not have occurred.

Jack picked up the trash that he could and stuffed it back in the bag before the door opened and he and Baloo headed out to the courtyard for some much needed exercise.

Elizabeth reached inside her bag and grabbed her journal. Holding the leather bound book, she sensed all of the emotions that were contained within. She opened the book and flipped to the next blank page. She took a deep breath, and attempted to convey her feelings onto the paper…

" _ **My skin crawls at the thought of you touching me. Disgust washes over me as you try to take that special part of me away. How hurt and angry you must be to inflict such pain on another. You are a sad person. I say "person" because you do not deserve to be considered a man. A real man does not take what is not given freely; he doesn't intentionally cause fear and anguish upon others in order to make himself feel better, and he most certainly doesn't treat human life with such ill regard.**_

 _ **I want to hate you, I really do, but it isn't in my nature to do so. I do hate that every time I close my eyes I see you; I do hate that in the calm gentle breeze that brushes across my skin I will think of you touching me, and I do hate that the memory of you may have destroyed any feelings Jack may have had for me. I want to hate you, but I won't, for if I did, you would have received a victory by having my heart filled with as much darkness as yours...**_

 _ **This didn't just happen to me, or to any other woman who faces such an experience. Those who love…those who care for us are also affected. As I try to put this experience behind me, will he be able to do so, or when he touches my skin, will he be thinking of your hands on me.**_

 _ **I will continue to live in honor of those whose lives you so callously stole. I will show you that although I am injured, I will rise again for you have not beaten me down. I refuse to allow fear to rule my life, for if it does, there is no room in my heart for joy, peace and love and I will only be existing, not living."**_

Jack walked back into the apartment as she closed her journal and sat it on the table beside the sofa.

"Are you tired?" he asked.

"A little," she replied.

He held out his hand, "Let's go back and I'll help you into bed."

He pulled the bedding back and she slowly lowered herself onto the mattress. He pulled off her slippers and helped her swing her legs under the covers.

"I know you're busy, but will you stay for awhile?" she asked, hoping that he would lie in bed and hold her, but not wanting to ask.

"Of course," he stated as he gently kissed her forehead before taking a seat beside her bed. Within minutes she was asleep.

Several hours later, Elizabeth woke and walked down the hall toward the kitchen for something to drink. Jack was not in her bed as she'd hoped, and she assumed that possibly he'd left to go to work.

She passed the sofa and found him sound asleep. She pulled the blanket from the back of the sofa and covered him. He looked so peaceful but she couldn't help but wonder what was going through his mind. Would things between them change as a result of this?

Several weeks passed; they each tried to deal with her abduction and attempted rape in their own way. They didn't talk about it with each other, both afraid that it would hurt the other to bring up such a violent and disturbing subject.

Elizabeth sought counseling through the local Rape Crisis Center, and although neither one spoke about it with the other, Jack also received services through the department psychologist.

Elizabeth couldn't help but think that things were crumbling around her. Did he really blame her? She could only assume so because initially she blamed herself. However, through counseling, she had resolved that guilt.

Jack and Elizabeth spent several evenings together each week, but Elizabeth could sense that things were different. Jack hadn't kissed her since the attack. Oh, there were kisses on the forehead or cheek, but her lips ached for his and they hadn't been touched for weeks. She felt a little bit more of herself die inside each time he said good night by a kiss to her hand or a weak hug.

Although she was afraid to bring up the topic, she was miserable and simply needed to know where his head was. If he couldn't get past this, she would accept it; after all, everyone is entitled to their own feelings. She just needed to know.

She pulled out her phone and sent Jack a text…

"R u busy 2day…?"

"No just watching some football. R we still doing dinner 2nite…?"

"We can, but will u meet me at Lockwood Park…?"

"Sure, what's wrong…?"

"I'd rather just talk at the park. Say around 1…?"

"Do u want me to pick u up…"

Not certain how the meeting would go, she replied, "No, I'll meet u there…"

Elizabeth arrived at 12:45pm and parked up near the open field and the grills. She grabbed her jacket and a bottle of water and took a seat at one of the picnic tables to wait for Jack.

Ten minutes later she observed his truck pull into the parking lot and pull into the spot next to her Jeep.

He walked up and kissed her cheek, "Hi honey." By the look on her face he knew that something was wrong, "What is it?"

She felt her stomach become uneasy as she tried to think of the best way to broach the subject. "Jack, do you feel differently about me since I was attacked?"

Her question caught him off guard, "What is that supposed to mean?"

She quickly responded, "It's a simple question, Jack. Do you feel differently about me since I was attacked?"

"Elizabeth, what is this about?" he asked doing his best to read her face, but seeing nothing but sadness to enlighten him.

She looked around, and was completely surprised that on such a beautiful day that this area of the park would be so scarce. Since it appears that he was hedging with the answer to her question, she explained.

Her eyes filled with tears as she looked toward the parking lot before turning back to him and beginning, "Jack, I'm sorry about what happened. I know that something had to be my fault; I must have caused it somehow. But I can't change it."

"What?" he asked. "It wasn't your…"

"Please let me finish," she stated as she took a deep breath and continued. "I wasn't raped, but when I look into your eyes I may as well have been. That spark is missing; you never hold my hand, and kissing, what's that?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, we hold hands all the time," he replied.

"Jack, when we went out to eat with Rosie and Lee last weekend, I reached for your hand as we walked to the restaurant. You seemed so uncomfortable so I released it. Do you remember the last time you kissed me on the lips?"

Jack was thinking but obviously had no answer.

She had asked him to come to the park assuming that it would be full of people, and she would be less likely to fall apart. However, the park was empty and she felt her emotions beginning to take over.

"Jack, I can't stand thinking that you blame me and think lesser of me because of what happened. I know that when I close my eyes, I see him, but I was hoping that the kind of man that you are would help me to forget him, and to put what happened behind me," she stated as her tears began to flow.

He said nothing, so she continued, "I hope you know that I fought him; I didn't want him, and I tried to get away…" her tears were now flowing unrestricted. "But I understand if you don't want me anymore. I just need to know," she cried as she bit her bottom lip, hoping that the physical pain she felt would somehow stop her emotional heartbreak.

He felt as though she was digging a knife into his chest. He had no idea what he was doing to her. He had his own insecurities, but they had nothing to do with trusting her, believing her…wanting her.

He rushed to the other side of the table, sat beside her and held her. It was the first time she'd been in the safety of his strong arms since the attack. He cradled her face in his hands, "You think I don't want you anymore?"

"What am I supposed to think, Jack? You barely look at me and you never touch me anymore. It's like I make you sick or something," she stated as her voice broke up through her tears.

He pulled her into his chest and spoke softly, "What I'm feeling has nothing to do with how I feel about you, and everything about how you feel about me."

She leaned back, "I don't understand."

"Elizabeth, I saw the fear in your eyes when I found you. You looked so scared and lost. It would kill me if you ever looked at me that way," he stated as he felt his own eyes pooling with tears. As they spilled over his lids, Jack wiped his eyes before taking her hands, "I don't look at you because I'm afraid to see that same sense of fear that I saw in your eyes. It's like maybe if I don't see it that everything will be okay."

He took a breath before continuing, "Elizabeth, when you asked me to lay with you in bed the day I brought you home from the hospital, you have no idea how much I wanted to. I just wanted to hold you, to make you feel safe. But how could you feel safe with a man, any man, after he'd done that to you."

"Jack, he did it, not you. I trust you completely, but I thought you were angry with me; that you somehow blamed me, and that I was tainted in your eyes," she barely managed to respond.

"I could never think lesser of you…Elizabeth, I…I love you, and I'm so sorry that I made you feel…"

"Wait; what did you say?" she interrupted him.

"I love you," he repeated his declaration.

She smiled, "I love you too."

"You do? Are you sure?" he asked, feeling the first smile cover his face since this whole ordeal occurred.

She returned the smile, "I fell in love with you a long time ago. But then this happened, and I thought it may have ruined any feelings that you were developing for me."

"Elizabeth, I fell in love with you that first night when we met on the beach. When you left Wilmington and I assumed that you lived in Atlanta, my heart went with you," he admitted. "You have no idea how you brought me back to life when I found you again; I do not intend to back away from you now…that is if you still want to be with me?"

Although tears continued to slip down her cheeks, she smiled, "I always wanted you; I thought you were the one who didn't want me."

"Never; I will want you until I take my last breath on this Earth, and then some," he whispered as he leaned in.

Their lips were inches apart as their breaths mingled.

"May I kiss you?" he asked.

The smile on her face gave him the answer he needed. He closed the distance as their lips touched. Their lips met perfectly as they had done so many times before. It was soft, and gentle, and felt more intimate than they could have ever imagined.

They leaned back slightly as their foreheads touched.

"Elizabeth, I'm so sorry that I hurt you…"

"Shh, please Jack, I don't want to talk anymore," she whispered as she leaned in and her lips met his again.

To be continued…


	7. Chapter 7- Keep Your Eyes on Me

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters within this story. All rights and much respect go to Crown Media, Hallmark, Brian Bird, Michael Landon, Jr., the actors, creators, and writers of the show "When Calls the Heart."**

 _ **Chapter 8- Keep Your Eyes on Me**_

 _ **Recap- End of Chapter 6…**_

Several weeks passed; they each tried to deal with her abduction and attempted rape in their own way. They didn't talk about it with each other, both afraid that it would hurt the other to bring up such a violent and disturbing subject.

Elizabeth sought counseling through the local Rape Crisis Center, and although neither one spoke about it with the other, Jack also received services through the department psychologist.

Elizabeth couldn't help but think that things were crumbling around her. Did he really blame her? She could only assume so because initially she blamed herself. However, through counseling, she had resolved that guilt.

Jack and Elizabeth spent several evenings together each week, but Elizabeth could sense that things were different. Jack hadn't kissed her since the attack. Oh, there were kisses on the forehead or cheek, but her lips ached for his and they hadn't been touched for weeks. She felt a little bit more of herself die inside each time he said good night by a kiss to her hand or a weak hug.

Although she was afraid to bring up the topic, she was miserable and simply needed to know where his head was. If he couldn't get past this, she would accept it; after all, everyone is entitled to their own feelings. She just needed to know.

She pulled out her phone and sent Jack a text…

"R u busy 2day…?"

"No just watching some football. R we still doing dinner 2nite…?"

"We can, but will u meet me at Lockwood Park…?"

"Sure, what's wrong…?"

"I'd rather just talk at the park. Say around 1…?"

"Do u want me to pick u up…"

Not certain how the meeting would go, she replied, "No, I'll meet u there…"

Elizabeth arrived at 12:45pm and parked up near the open field and the grills. She grabbed her jacket and a bottle of water and took a seat at one of the picnic tables to wait for Jack.

Ten minutes later she observed his truck pull into the parking lot and park in the spot next to her Jeep.

He walked up and kissed her cheek, "Hi honey." By the look on her face he knew that something was wrong, "What is it?"

She felt her stomach become uneasy as she tried to think of the best way to broach the subject. "Jack, do you feel differently about me since I was attacked?"

Her question caught him off guard, "What is that supposed to mean?"

She quickly responded, "It's a simple question, Jack. Do you feel differently about me since I was attacked?"

"Elizabeth, what is this about?" he asked doing his best to read her face, but seeing nothing but sadness to enlighten him.

She looked around, and was completely surprised that on such a beautiful day that this area of the park would be so scarce. Since it appears that he was hedging with the answer to her question, she explained.

Her eyes filled with tears as she looked toward the parking lot before turning back to him and beginning, "Jack, I'm sorry about what happened. I know that something had to be my fault; I must have caused it somehow. But I can't change it."

"What?" he asked. "It wasn't your…"

"Please let me finish," she stated as she took a deep breath and continued. "I wasn't raped, but when I look into your eyes I may as well have been. That spark is missing; you never hold my hand, and kissing, what's that?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, we hold hands all the time," he replied.

"Jack, when we went out to eat with Rosie and Lee last weekend, I reached for your hand as we walked to the restaurant. You seemed so uncomfortable so I released it. Do you remember the last time you kissed me on the lips?"

Jack was thinking but obviously had no answer.

She had asked him to come to the park assuming that it would be full of people, and she would be less likely to fall apart. However, the park was empty and she felt her emotions beginning to take over.

"Jack, I can't stand thinking that you blame me and think lesser of me because of what happened. I know that when I close my eyes, I see him, but I was hoping that the kind of man that you are would help me to forget him, and to put what happened behind me," she stated as her tears began to flow.

He said nothing, so she continued, "I hope you know that I fought him; I didn't want him, and I tried to get away…" her tears were now flowing unrestricted. "But I understand if you don't want me anymore. I just need to know," she cried as she bit her bottom lip, hoping that the physical pain she felt would somehow stop her emotional heartbreak.

He felt as though she was digging a knife into his chest. He had no idea what he was doing to her. He had his own insecurities, but they had nothing to do with trusting her, believing her…wanting her.

He rushed to the other side of the table, sat beside her and held her. It was the first time she'd been in the safety of his strong arms since the attack. He cradled her face in his hands, "You think I don't want you anymore?"

"What am I supposed to think, Jack? You barely look at me and you never touch me anymore. It's like I make you sick or something," she stated as her voice broke up through her tears.

He pulled her into his chest and spoke softly, "What I'm feeling has nothing to do with how I feel about you, and everything about how you feel about me."

She leaned back, "I don't understand."

"Elizabeth, I saw the fear in your eyes when I found you. You looked so scared and lost. It would kill me if you ever looked at me that way," he stated as he felt his own eyes pooling with tears. As they spilled over his lids, Jack wiped his eyes before taking her hands, "I don't look at you because I'm afraid to see that same sense of fear that I saw in your eyes. It's like maybe if I don't see it that everything will be okay."

He took a breath before continuing, "Elizabeth, when you asked me to lay with you in bed the day I brought you home from the hospital, you have no idea how much I wanted to. I just wanted to hold you, to make you feel safe. But how could you feel safe with a man, any man, after he'd done that to you."

"Jack, he did it, not you. I trust you completely, but I thought you were angry with me; that you somehow blamed me, and that I was tainted in your eyes," she barely managed to respond.

"I could never think lesser of you…Elizabeth, I…I love you, and I'm so sorry that I made you feel…"

"Wait; what did you say?" she interrupted him.

"I love you," he repeated his declaration.

She smiled, "I love you too."

"You do? Are you sure?" he asked, feeling the first smile cover his face since this whole ordeal occurred.

She returned the smile, "I fell in love with you a long time ago. But then this happened, and I thought it may have ruined any feelings that you were developing for me."

"Elizabeth, I fell in love with you that first night when we met on the beach. When you left Wilmington and I assumed that you lived in Atlanta, my heart went with you," he admitted. "You have no idea how you brought me back to life when I found you again; I do not intend to back away from you now…that is if you still want to be with me?"

Although tears continued to slip down her cheeks, she smiled, "I always wanted you; I thought you were the one who didn't want me."

"Never; I will want you until I take my last breath on this Earth, and then some," he whispered as he leaned in.

Their lips were inches apart as their breaths mingled.

"May I kiss you?" he asked.

The smile on her face gave him the answer he needed. He closed the distance as their lips touched. Their lips met perfectly as they had done so many times before. It was soft, and gentle, and felt more intimate than they could have ever imagined.

They leaned back slightly as their foreheads touched.

"Elizabeth, I'm so sorry that I hurt you…"

"Shh, please Jack, I don't want to talk anymore," she whispered as she leaned in and her lips met his again.

 _ **Now on to the next chapter…**_

Elizabeth and Jack spent several nights a week together, generally never allowing more than one day in between their dates. During the week she would fix dinner after which they would snuggle on the sofa watching her choice of a "chick flick." On weekends, if he wasn't working, they tried out different restaurants, took walks in the moonlight, or spent time with close friends.

Several more months passed since Elizabeth was attacked. She returned to teaching first grade at Cary Elementary School, but when offered the opportunity to again teach Introduction to Elementary Education at NC State, she hesitated. She wasn't certain that she was ready to return to the scene of her attack. The semester ended, and she had yet to decide if she would ever return to teaching at the college level.

Thursday morning arrived and Elizabeth was looking forward to the weekend. However, the sudden thought of what the following week meant dropped her back onto the bed.

Elizabeth was proud of the work she'd done in therapy to help her deal with the experience. She was also aware that Jack had participated in counseling through the police department, as he made his attendance known to her. However, as with each of them, the particulars of those sessions were not generally discussed.

They each had done their best to put the trauma of her kidnapping and attempted sexual assault behind them. In the back of her mind she knew that at some point she'd have to face her assailant in court and she hated to admit it but the thought terrified her.

The trial was scheduled to begin the following Monday. On Friday afternoon, the Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney, Carson Shepherd, contacted Elizabeth and advised her that Brockwell's lawyer was pushing for a continuance; "It will most likely be granted," he stated.

Elizabeth wanted to end the torment and get the trial behind her. She had promised herself that she would push for a speedy hearing, knowing in her heart that she couldn't completely move on until it was over. However, she had to admit that the likelihood of a continuance, for whatever reason, allowed her to relax somewhat, knowing that she had a respite from seeing him face to face.

Her phone rang, pulling her out of her funk, and putting a smile on her face once she noticed that it was from Jack.

"Good morning, I missed seeing you last night," she stated upon answering the phone.

"I'm sorry; I didn't get away from work until after midnight and I knew you'd be asleep," he replied.

Appreciative of his courtesy, she didn't have the heart to tell him that she stayed up until 1am waiting to hear from him.

"Honey, have you heard anything about the trial?" he asked.

"Mr. Shepherd called me last night and said that it would likely be continued," she replied.

"Well, that isn't unusual since it's the first trial date. So…"

"So what?" she asked.

"Well, do you remember that I told you that, Henry Gowen is getting married next weekend?"

"Who?"

"Henry Gowen. He's the head of the NC State security department. I met him months ago."

"I'm sorry, I don't remember that, but I'm happy for him. So, is this supposed to make a difference to me?" she asked.

"I had completely forgotten but the guys are taking him to Atlantic City this weekend, and I had told them a while ago that I would go. Do you have a problem with me going?" he asked, almost sounding as if he was asking his parents for permission.

"Jack, I'm not your mom, if you want to go, go," she stated.

"Well, I wasn't going if the trial was still set, but since it's gonna be continued, would you mind?"

"No, I don't mind. Go and have some fun," she stated.

"It's not just me; Lee's coming along and there's about four or five guys from the precinct. What are you going to do for the weekend?" he asked.

"I think Baloo and I will just hang out here," she replied. "Will I see you Monday?" she asked.

"WOW, that seems like a lifetime away," he replied.

"It does, but you go and have some fun with your buddies and I'll get some things done around here. Before you know it the weekend will be over," she stated.

"Okay, if you're sure, but I'll call you every day," Jack responded.

"Jack, it's only two days. Please, go have some fun, and don't worry about me," Elizabeth replied.

"All right, but Monday we'll go out, okay?" he suggested.

"Sounds like a plan. I love you and be careful," she stated.

"I will, you too. I love you honey."

Elizabeth went about her day teaching her first graders and looking forward to a quiet weekend at home. Having left her phone in her car this morning, she was unable to check her messages until the end of the day. One message in particular disturbed her greatly…"

" _ **Ms. Thatcher, this is Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney, Carson Shepherd. I'm going to leave you this message and I hope you get it. I did tell you that the trial was probably going to be continued. However, the judge denied the defense's request. So, I need you to be at the courthouse no later than 8:30 on Monday morning. Please try not to worry; the security will be heightened and I'll see that you're protected. Try to enjoy your weekend, and I'll talk to you on Monday."**_

Elizabeth closed her eyes and released a harsh breath. Usually enjoying the feeling of butterflies in her stomach when near Jack, this felt more like locusts, going through her body, ravaging every part of her.

She rode by Tractor Supply and picked up a bag of food for Baloo and then headed home. As she pulled into the parking lot, she realized that she had no idea how she'd made it there; the turns, the stoplights, she remembered none of them.

Once inside her apartment, she sat on the sofa next to Baloo. He sensed her stress and quickly laid his head in her lap, immediately providing her with his calming presence.

Elizabeth always left the TV on when she went out to give Baloo some noise, helping him feel as though he was not alone. As the news came one, she was stricken by the first story…

" _ **Murderous rampage, will justice be served?"**_

Ed Holt, news anchor for the local NBC affiliate, began his story discussing the murders and sexual assaults that plagued the Raleigh area months previously. Although her name was not mentioned, she knew who he was speaking of when he stated, "The trial may hinge on the testimony of the final victim, a female college professor who was abducted and assaulted."

She felt nauseous and immediately searched for the remote control. Unable to find it, as it was stuffed between cushions on the sofa, she was forced to listen while she searched for the manual controls.

"Ed," Ciera Wilkinson, the co-anchor quickly corrected him; "Actually, it was an attempted assault."

"That is correct. It was an alleged attempted assault," Ed responded. He continued, "Since it was an attempted sexual assault, it is the policy of this station that we will not identify the victim, but our reporters will be present in the courtroom to bring you all of the newest developments beginning on Monday at noon."

Better late than never, she turned off the TV. Taking her seat back on the sofa, it had only been a few minutes when her doorbell rang. Amanda, one of her neighbors stepped inside.

"Hey, are you okay? I saw the news report and just thought I'd check on you."

"Thank you, but Baloo and I are fine," she replied.

"Well, if you and Jack feel the need to get away, I'm not using the cottage this weekend."

"That is so thoughtful of you, but Jack is in Atlantic City for a bachelor party, so it's just me and Baloo."

"Well, it's still available if you want to use it. It's right on the water. I don't get to use it as much as I did when we went as a family. But since my parents passed away, I just can't bring myself to sell it."

"Thanks again for the offer, but I think Baloo and I will be fine here."

She quickly changed her mind as neighbor after neighbor knocked on her door to see if she was okay. Some of them she didn't even know well, so she wondered with all the anonymity, how her identity had been released. But then again, it was a small apartment complex.

She hadn't heard anything from Jack, but then again she didn't really expect to. She was glad that he'd had an opportunity to spend some time with his friends, but couldn't help but wish that he was with her now.

At 9 pm she heard a loud commotion out in the hallway. As she approached her door she heard a voice…

"Shh, be quiet. She lives right there."

Her hand went cold on the handle. Once she heard the traffic outside her door die down, she slipped over to Amanda's apartment.

"Hey, I'm sorry that it's so late, but is the offer still on the table for the cottage?" Elizabeth asked.

"Certainly is. Did you want to leave in the morning?" Amanda asked.

"Actually, I was thinking of leaving now."

"Oh, well let me get the keys for you."

Amanda gave her the keys, address and directions, advising her that it was on the water near the Wright Brothers Memorial.

Elizabeth slipped back into her apartment, grabbed her phone and immediately called Jack.

"Hey honey," he yelled into the phone trying to be heard over the laughing and loud music.

"The trial is still on for Monday. So I'm going to Nags Head for the weekend. I just need to get away," she found herself yelling back.

"What did you say?"

"The trial is still set for Monday. Baloo and I are going to Nags Head for the weekend."

Having difficulty understanding what she was saying, and assuming that she was telling him to have a good weekend and she'd see him on Monday, he asked if he could call her back once they left the bar.

She responded, "That's fine." She sat her phone down on the table and proceeded to gather her things in an overnight bag. Baloo's food was placed in a Ziploc baggie, and out the door she went.

She loaded up her Jeep and got Baloo situated in the back seat before slipping behind the wheel.

"Click, click, click, click, click…"

"Seriously?"

Elizabeth unloaded Baloo and was heading for her apartment building when she passed Amanda walking her dog. "You haven't left yet?"

"My battery won't turn over. I guess it's meant for me to stay here this weekend."

Amanda reached into her pocket and pulled out her key ring. She pulled the key off that went to her Honda Accord and handed it to Elizabeth. "Here, take mine."

"I can't do that. Besides it's the weekend; what if you want to go somewhere?"

"Mike is here for the weekend. If we need a car, we have his."

"Are you positive?"

"Absolutely. You look stressed. Maybe some time alone with you and Baloo will recharge your own personal battery," she stated with a smile.

"Thank you so much. I owe you one…"

Elizabeth and Baloo headed down the highway toward Nags Head. She cranked up the music and began to sing along to her favorite songs, hoping that she could put the concerns that were ahead of her out of her mind.

It was 11:30pm when Jack retired to his hotel room. He was flying high having won $272 playing the penny machines. He checked his watch and realizing that Elizabeth was probably asleep, he texted her.

"Hey sweetheart. Sorry it's L8. I won $ at the penny machines. Call me n the am."

Assuming that she would contact him back in the morning, he went to bed.

It was midnight when she pulled into the driveway of her home for the weekend. When she stepped outside, she immediately heard the waves crashing onto the shore. There was something ironically soothing, calming about the noise it provided.

Elizabeth unloaded the car and she and Baloo went for one final walk before bedtime. Once back inside, she looked in her bag for her phone. Not finding it, she searched through the car, finally realizing that she'd left it on the table in her apartment. "Well, I guess it's going to be a very quiet weekend, buddy."

She poured a glass of wine from a bottle she'd brought, laid out some cheese and crackers that she pulled from her cooler and took a seat in the den. The cottage hadn't been lived in for several months, and with the heat cut down low, there was a biting chill in the house. Elizabeth turned up the heat and cranked up the electric fireplace. Within a short while she could feel warmth filling the room.

She turned on the TV and stretched out on the sofa. She quickly realized that she was unable to avoid the news about the upcoming trial, and the NBC affiliate in Nags Head was also running the story. The only positive thing, she thought, was that _**nobody knows who I am down here.**_

Feeling wide awake and unable to sleep, she pulled her journal from her bag and attempted to convey the multitude of feelings that seemed to be weighing her down…

" _ **Although we don't like to admit it, fear does creep into our lives from time to time. I'd like to think that I am not soft, that emotionally I can handle whatever may be thrown my way. However, fear has the nasty ability to awaken many emotions within us, allowing us to either forge ahead, or retreat within that which we know all too well.**_

 _ **Fear comes in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes it's the feeling you get as the dark, lightning filled sky approaches; sometimes it's independently moving on to a new adventure, and still other times it's when the devil himself comes knocking at your soul. It can be invigorating or paralyzing, pushing you to do things you wouldn't ordinarily do, or locking you up on the inside, consuming most of your inner space, leaving little room for joy.**_

 _ **Seeing the world before us as dark and foreboding keeps us from experiencing all that life has to offer. We close ourselves in, unable to experience life without suspicion, consternation and anxiety. We seek understanding of that which we do not know, hoping to find a boldness within ourselves to push forward, standing firm even as our heart beats loudly in our chest.**_

 _ **Being courageous does not mean that there is an absence of fear. It simply means that there is something else within us that is stronger, more resilient than our inner trepidations.**_

 _ **I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe that he is with us, each and every one. He will encourage us to fly in times of joy, peace, sorrow and fear. However, when uncertain, trust in the Lord, take that blind leap of faith and know that your wings will appear on your way down."**_

Elizabeth closed her journal, pulled the comforter from the back of the sofa and covered her body as she quickly fell asleep.

The next morning Jack woke to a pounding on his door. "Come on, we're going out for breakfast," Kyle Morris yelled through the door, also waking Lee in the process.

"Okay, we'll meet you downstairs," Lee yelled back.

"Hey, did you hear anything from Rosie last night?" Jack asked.

"No, but then again I wasn't expecting to. She went home for the weekend, didn't Elizabeth tell you?"

Jack's brow furrowed, "No, she didn't mention it. She just said that she was planning to stay home for the weekend."

"Well, Rosie invited her, but I think when they talked, Elizabeth hadn't heard that the case was being continued. I think she just wanted to stay close to home."

"Hmm…"

"What's that for?" Lee asked.

"I texted Elizabeth when we got in, but I still don't have a reply. She is usually up by now and has already walked Baloo. Do you think something is wrong?"

"Jack, you worry too much. Maybe her phone is dead, or maybe she just decided to sleep in."

"I guess you're right," he replied before sending her another text. "Hey, didn't hear from u yet. R u mad at me?"

He kept checking his phone, but never observed a response from her. Assuming Lee was right and her phone lacked a charge, he dressed and followed Lee down to the hotel restaurant.

Henry Gowen had many friends who came to celebrate his last week as a single man. It took two long tables to accommodate them all.

As they finished breakfast and the group was contemplating which casinos to head to first, Jack walked up to pay his bill when he bumped into Carson Shepherd.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Jack asked, not aware that he was friends with Henry.

"I could ask you the same thing," Carson replied.

"Henry and I met as a result of the murders. We've been friends since then. I didn't even know that you two were acquainted."

"No, I didn't mean that. I just assumed that with the trial starting on Monday that you'd be spending the weekend with your girlfriend. You and Ms. Thatcher are still together, right?"

"Yes, but what are you talking about? Elizabeth said that the trial was going to be continued."

"Well, Brockwell's attorney fought for it, but the Judge eventually denied the request. I called her last night while I was on my way up here. She didn't tell you?"

"She called me last night, but everyone was laughing and the music was so loud I couldn't hear her. I thought she just told me to have fun this weekend and she'd see me on Monday."

"Well, I don't know what she said to you, but I can tell you that I'm meeting with her on Monday morning at 8:30."

As Lee walked up, Jack stated, "Hey, I need to get back home. The trial isn't going to be continued. Elizabeth doesn't need to be alone now."

"I understand. Let me throw my stuff in my bag and I'll be ready to go."

"You don't need to go with me. I'm sure someone here could give you a ride back."

"Are you sure?"

"No problem. I'm gonna be with Elizabeth anyway and since Rosie's out of town, it makes sense for you to stay."

Within 30 minutes, Jack was in his truck and heading back to Raleigh, North Carolina.

He missed the 9:30 am ferry from Cape May, New Jersey to Lewes, Delaware, so he sat in the truck repeatedly calling and texting her, and not understanding why she wasn't responding.

He pulled into her parking lot at 7pm, and was never so thankful to see her Jeep sitting prominently in its parking space. He sprinted to her apartment and began knocking on the door, but received no answer.

Not hearing a dog's bark, he assumed that she was out walking Baloo. As he headed for the elevator, Amanda's door opened.

"Jack…"

"Hey, where's Elizabeth?"

"She didn't talk to you?"

"About what?"

"Well, the trial has been front and center on the news and she was pretty upset so she went to stay in my cottage in Nags Head."

"But her Jeep is still here."

"The battery is dead. Well, we think it's the battery. I gave her my Honda to drive. Can't you call her?" Amanda asked.

"I've called and texted all day, and I haven't gotten any response. Could you give me the address to the cottage? I need to drive down and make sure she's okay."

"I'm surprised you weren't with her, given that the trial is so close," she stated as she wrote out the address to the cottage.

"I wouldn't have gone, but the trial was supposed to be continued. She told me to go," he stated, feeling the need to explain his actions.

Jack went by the gas station, filled up his truck, grabbed a large cup of coffee and on to Nag Head he went.

The GPS on his phone led him directly to Amanda's cottage and at 10:30 pm he parked next to the Honda in the driveway.

Jack rushed up the stairs and knocked on the door.

Due to the late hour, Elizabeth sat quietly by the fire praying that Baloo wouldn't bark. Unfortunately, the knocking startled him as well and he ran to the door barking with all the fierceness that he could muster.

"Elizabeth…it's me, Jack," he yelled.

"Jack, what are you doing here?" she called out as she unlocked and opened the door.

He said nothing but immediately wrapped her in his arms. As he pulled back slightly, his hands framed her face. Her smile captivated him as his lips met hers with the emotion of a long lost love.

"Not that I don't enjoy seeing you, but why are you here? You're supposed to be in Atlantic City."

"Why didn't you text me back or answer your phone? Why didn't you tell me that the trial wasn't continued?"

"I left my phone at home, and I did…"

"Huh?"

"I was just answering your questions. I left my phone on the dining room table and I did tell you about the trial, but the party you were at was loud and you didn't hear me."

She closed the door after he stepped inside. "Jack, you didn't have to leave; I'm fine. Besides, I have Baloo with me."

He took her hand and led her back to the sofa, "Do you have any idea how worried I've been about you?"

"I'm sorry Jack. I didn't mean to worry you. But how did you learn that the trial wasn't continued?"

"I saw Carson Shepherd this morning. I didn't even know that he and Henry were good friends."

"I'm sorry that you had to leave your friends. You must be exhausted."

"I am, but to be honest, I think I'm just feeling relieved that you're okay," Jack stated as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. He took a deep, thankful breath and kissed the top of her head.

"You're bound to be hungry. Would you like a sandwich?" she asked.

"That would be great, thanks."

"Okay, you stay here, and I'll be back with a ham and cheese sandwich."

She walked to the kitchen and pulled from the refrigerator ham, cheese, bread, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise. A few minutes later, she had a toasted ham and cheese sandwich on a plate with chips and she headed back to the den.

There she found Jack's feet were still on the floor, but his body was leaning on the soft arm of the sofa and he was sound asleep. She untied his boots and slipped them off before lifting his legs onto the sofa. She covered his body with the comforter, kissed his forehead and retreated to the kitchen to wrap up the uneaten sandwich.

Elizabeth and Baloo climbed the stairs to the 2nd floor, entered the master bedroom and closed the door. Even though he was a floor away, she felt quite safe and relaxed…that is until she slipped into bed and closed her eyes.

As the trial approached, she felt herself becoming a bit more uneasy and the desire to stay awake was stronger than ever. She knew that Brockwell was incarcerated and couldn't get to her, however, once alone and with her eyes closed, her mind could easily play tricks on her.

Surprisingly she fell asleep, but through her slumber she rolled from side to side in bed, tangling herself tighter and tighter in the bedding.

Feeling much like she did when Brockwell held her down, ripping at her clothes, she screamed.

Still asleep, Jack heard the scream. He fell to the floor trying to get out from under the bedding and stood in the middle of the room not knowing where she was. Hearing her scream again, he ran upstairs.

"Elizabeth…"

"Please, stop…Somebody please help me…" she screamed as her eyes were closed and she continued to fight with the bedding.

Jack turned on the light and called out to her again before approaching the bed. He kept calling her name, hoping not to scare her further.

Her respiration was ragged, and shallow. She felt as though someone was sitting on her chest, preventing her from breathing normally. Even after she opened her eyes, she seemed lost. It took her a few moments before she recognized Jack, immediately feeling comfortable wrapped in his arms.

"What happened honey?"

"I don't know. Last night I think I did okay. I slept some, and I didn't see him in my head. But tonight, I closed my eyes and…" she started crying again.

"I'm sorry; I think knowing that I have to see him tomorrow…It's just, I close my eyes and I see his fa…face, and f-e-e-l his hands touch…t-touching me," her respiration became more rapid as she buried her head in his chest.

"Shh, you're safe. I won't let him hurt you again."

As her breathing calmed slightly she continued, "I don't want to be scared, but Jack, I am. I don't know if I can sit in that courtroom and look at him."

Jack sat on the side of the bed, and held her tight to his chest. He kissed the top of her head as he rocked her back and forth, slowly feeling her body relax against him.

"Jack…"

"Mm-huh…"

"Are you afraid of anything…?" Before he could answer she responded to her own question, "Of course you aren't. I'm sorry; that was a stupid question."

"There are no stupid questions, and for your information, I do get scared."

"You do? What scares you, stuff with your job?"

"I'm cautious in my job, and I'm highly trained, so work related danger doesn't really scare me."

"Then what is it that does scare you?"

"Losing you…"

"Losing me? I love you Jack. You won't lose me."

"I love you too, but I was referring to when Brockwell abducted you. I was petrified that I wouldn't get to you in time."

"Jack, what can I do? I have to testify, but is there a way that I can do it without him in the room?"

"I wish there was, but he has a right to confront his accusers."

"Confront…?"

"I'm sorry; that was a poor choice of words. He has a right to be in the room and hear what you have to say. There are a few occasions where they will allow the testimony of others without the defendant in the room, but it is special circumstances. I know it isn't fair, but they always want to make sure that the defendant's rights aren't violated."

"His rights? What about mine? What about Emily, Jaclyn and Madeline, don't they have rights?"

"Elizabeth, I'm right there with you, but it's the way the justice system is. I'm sorry; I wish I could do this for you." Jack leaned her back just far enough to look in her eyes, "The bailiffs in the courtroom will protect you, and I'll be there too."

"You will?" she asked with a tone that offered a bit of surprise.

"Elizabeth, I would never allow you to face him alone. Besides, I have to testify too," Jack reminded her as an indication of the fact that they have talked very little about the upcoming hearing.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, holding on as if he were her safe port in a violent storm. As she calmed down, he had her lie back in bed. He straightened the covers, kissed her forehead and headed for the door.

"Jack…"

Having only walked several strides away, he turned around. "Do you need something?" he asked.

"Will you stay in here with me?" she asked.

Not needing to be asked twice he smiled softly, "Sure."

Jack walked around to the other side of the bed, pulled up the top blanket and slipped in between it and the sheet. He lay close, but attempted to keep their bodies from touching.

Elizabeth's body was facing away from him, but she turned her head slightly and with tears in her eyes she whispered, "I love you." She turned back away but her hand took his and pulled him closer. As his arm draped over her waist, she pulled on his hand, holding onto it tightly at her chest.

He felt her snuggle in; she seemed relaxed, or maybe it was just that she felt safe. He rose up on one elbow watching her sleep and listening to her breathing, initially bold and erratic, but it quickly softened and became much steadier.

The weekend came to an end as they disappointedly said goodbye to the uncharacteristically warm temperatures, sunny skies, surf, sand, beautiful cottage and time alone.

Monday morning arrived with Elizabeth worshiping the ceramic God. She was thankful that she hadn't eaten any dinner the night before, realizing that at some point her stomach just had to be empty.

Jack arrived at her apartment at 7:30 and caught Elizabeth as she was returning from her morning walk with Baloo.

"Honey, are you okay?" he asked as he observed her washed out appearance.

"I've had better nights," she admitted, "but since my stomach is now empty there is nothing left to throw up."

"Are you sick?"

"More like nervous."

He put his arm around her and held her close as they continued to her apartment. He took the key from her hand and opened the door as Baloo rushed in and sat by his food bowl.

"You go get ready and I'll take care of feeding Baloo."

"Thank you, I'll be right out."

Fifteen minutes later she walked out of her room with everything but her face and hands covered. She wore dark pants, a turtleneck sweater, and a headband which even covered her ears.

"I always hear on the crime shows that they want the victims to dress very conservatively in court. Does this look like someone who wasn't asking to be attacked?"

Jack's heart sank. He hated that she was concerned the jury would assume that she was asking for the attack against her. He stood and approached her, "There was nothing wrong with the way you were dressed, and no matter what, he had no right to put his hands on you. You were not at fault, he was."

"And Elizabeth…you are not a victim. You are one of the strongest women I have ever known."

"It's nice of you to say, but I certainly didn't feel strong the other night."

He walked her over to the sofa and they sat down. "You fought him then, and you'll fight him now. Honey, he will only beat you if you let him into your head. He isn't worth it, and I have every confidence in you that you will make it through this. Your testimony will keep him from having the opportunity to hurt anyone else. Just keep your eyes on me…"

He looked at his watch, 7:55am, "Are you ready to go?"

"Can you give me a few minutes?"

"Sure…"

Ten minutes later, Elizabeth emerged wearing a pair of navy blue slacks, a light blue cowl neck sweater, and school appropriate makeup. Peeking out of the neckline was a silver chain with a heart shaped locket, a gift from Jack, which held pictures of her two favorite boys, Jack and Baloo.

Gone was the dark, gothic look, the ear covering headband and her washed out appearance.

"Let's go…"

Jack took her hand and they made their way down the hall toward the elevator.

"You look beautiful."

"Thank you, Jack. Can you tell that my heart is pounding out of my chest? I'm not fond of being in court; I guess you're used to it, but I've never had to go," she stated as they stepped into the elevator and he pushed the button for the 1st floor.

Elizabeth swallowed hard and continued, "You promise that he can't get to me?"

"Absolutely. I'm sure that the security will be high."

"Will he be handcuffed?"

"Unfortunately not... Apparently when trials are held and the suspect is in a jail jumpsuit and handcuffs, it gives the jury an impression that he or she is already guilty," Jack explained. "He'll be in regular clothes and no handcuffs?"

"Jack continued, "Honey, in the courtroom, the witness stand is across the room from the defense table. So you will be closer to Carson than you will be to Brockwell."

"So he can't get to me?" she asked as the door opened and she stepped forward.

Jack's hand on her arm turned her back to face him, "Trust me, I won't let him anywhere near you."

She raised her hand to his cheek, and in this unusual moment alone she pressed her lips to his.

Her lips were soft, but Jack felt the nerves, and wished that he could remove all of the anxiety she currently felt. He would have gladly carried it within himself if possible.

"Come on; let's get this over with."

Jack and Elizabeth met with Carson Shepherd before court. Elizabeth expressed to Carson that she couldn't help but to fear facing Brockwell again.

"We generally have two bailiffs in each courtroom, but my understanding is that today we will have four. So you'll be safe. Try not to worry," Carson advised.

Carson talked with Jack about his involvement with the case, but knew that with Jack's understanding and experience in the justice system, he would know what to expect.

Carson sat Elizabeth down and went over her testimony, "Look at me," he kept saying. "You have to talk with him in the room, but you don't have to look at him."

"How did you feel when he grabbed you in the hallway of the university?" Carson asked.

"Initially I thought I could get away," her expression changed, "Until he put the knife to my throat. Then I thought I was going to die." Her body began to tremble and her tears flowed as Jack went to hold her.

Carson snapped, "Jack, don't touch her. She has to get through this on her own. She has to be convincing on her own."

"Carson, she's being attacked all over again, and we're supposed to protect her."

"I'm sorry Jack, but in order for Brockwell's attorney not to claim collusion, she has to do this on her own."

"Jack, I'll be fine. I know that nothing is going to happen to me, so let's do this and get him put away where he belongs."

Elizabeth stepped out into the main court area and watched as people walked out of the elevator and poured up the staircase, many of them laughing as if this were a day at the park. She observed numerous bailiffs and began to feel a bit safer.

They headed for Courtroom #2, stepped inside and took a seat. As the case was called, the courtroom filled. Some of those attending were news reporters while others appeared to be family members of those allegedly murdered by Norton Brockwell. She observed several bailiffs, one by the judge, one by the witness stand, one by the defense table, and one by the jury, as the combination of which allowed her to breathe a sigh of relief.

Everyone expecting to testify was asked to stand. Jack situated his body in front of hers so when Brockwell turned to scan the courtroom, he didn't see her. The charges were read in open court. They consisted of three counts of First Degree Murder, three counts of Rape, nine counts of Use of a Weapon in the Commission of a Felony, four counts of Abduction, Attempted Rape, and Malicious Wounding.

Then Elizabeth's heart stopped. Jack was called as the first witness and he left her alone, unprotected. He headed to the witness stand to the right of the judge and directly in front of the Commonwealth's table. He was quickly directed to the other side of the bench and approximately twenty feet away from the defense table, as Judge Brown advised that the microphone on the other side was malfunctioning.

Jack felt his heart pound as he answered each and every question with professionalism and honesty. His eyes remained on Brockwell, hoping to psyche him out, forcing him to leave Elizabeth alone during her testimony. However, it was evident that Brockwell had no intentions of backing down, and he planned to put the fear of the devil in Elizabeth once she took the stand.

Jack maintained his composure while discussing the murders of Emily Donovan, Madeline Murphy, and Jaclyn Davis. However, once the charges dealing with Elizabeth's case entered the forefront of the questioning, Jack became easily agitated.

Elizabeth caught his eye, and while looking at her he calmed. Once he left the stand, the defense made a motion to exclude Jack from the courtroom for further witness testimony.

When asked to explain further, the attorney advised the court that due to Detective Thornton's personal relationship with one of the victims, it was requested that he not be allowed in the courtroom during her testimony.

"This motion should have been made before the trial started," Judge Brown began.

"Your Honor, I just learned of Detective Thornton's connection to Ms. Thatcher," the attorney advised.

As a result, the judge granted the request and Jack begrudgingly left the courtroom. However, he left instructions for Lee and Rosie, who now sat on either side of Elizabeth to keep her focused on them and away from Brockwell.

The medical examiner was then called to provide all of the scientific particulars regarding the deceased victims. Then Elizabeth practically froze…

"The Commonwealth calls Elizabeth Thatcher to the stand," Carson announced.

As she stood and started to slip passed those in her row, Lee grabbed her hand, "Keep your eyes on me."

To be continued…


	8. Chapter 8- Okay- Let's Talk

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters within this story. All rights and much respect go to Crown Media, Hallmark, Brian Bird, Michael Landon, Jr., the actors, creators, and writers of the show "When Calls the Heart."**

 _ **Chapter 8- Okay, Let's Talk**_

Elizabeth walked through the gate separating the attorneys, Brockwell, the judge and the jury from the spectators. A bailiff stood between her and Brockwell as she passed between the prosecution and defense tables, and took her seat at the witness stand.

The bailiff approached as Elizabeth placed her hand on the Bible that he held and the court clerk began, "Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help you God?"

"I do," Elizabeth replied as she took a seat and looked over at Lee, fighting the urge to glance at the defense table.

She answered each question presented to her by the Commonwealth and felt confident and comfortable with herself once the initial questioning was completed. However, she had no idea just what was headed her way.

Out in the hallway, Jack was frantic. He paced and did his best to listen through the door, but became even more nervous when he heard nothing. Rosie stepped out into the hallway to tell Jack that Elizabeth was doing well, but that the defense questioning was beginning.

"Go back inside. She needs to see you in there," he stated before turning and continuing to pace the hall.

Rosie slipped back inside and immediately saw that Elizabeth was crying. She got her attention, which seemed to calm her somewhat.

Jack became even more concerned when he observed several bailiffs running from all corners of the courthouse, heading to courtroom #5. Although it wasn't his courtroom, since he was unaware of what was causing the commotion, he began to wonder about the safety in Courtroom #2.

Jack ran into the clerk's office, down the back hallway and through the door leading to the Judge's chambers and the area behind the courtrooms.

The defense attorney, an older gentleman named Wendell Baccus, began pelting Elizabeth with question after question, barely giving her time to answer before he interrogated her further. Carson objected several times and Judge Brown admonished Mr. Baccus for his badgering of the witness.

Then to Elizabeth, the unthinkable happened…

"Ms. Thatcher, isn't it correct that you had seen Mr. Brockwell before on campus and had actually shown a romantic interest in him?" Mr. Baccus asked.

"That is completely untrue. I mean I had seen him and we had talked, but I have a…"

"Ms. Thatcher, please just answer my question. "Isn't it true that you asked him to walk you to your car?"

"Well yes, but…"

"So you approached him? You asked him to walk with you."

"I did, but he was dressed as a…"

"Your honor, I ask that you advise the witness to simply answer my questions."

"It seems to me that she is trying to answer your questions," the judge replied.

Lee looked up at the flashing sign above one of the front exit doors. He didn't have any idea what it meant, but several bailiffs ran from their posts and out of the courtroom. "Where are they going?" he whispered under his breath.

Glancing back at Elizabeth, Lee was attempting to gather her attention, but she seemed frozen. He felt a little better noticing that her eyes were cast downward, and not on Brockwell. When she did look up, her head turned and she glanced toward the judge for guidance.

Jack stood outside the back hallway. Very quietly he remained outside the door which happened to be to the left as the gallery faced the witness stand.

Mr. Baccus kept pushing, doing his best to portray Elizabeth as a woman who encouraged the sexual overtures, but then became angry and screamed "Rape."

"You have a boyfriend; is that correct?" Mr. Baccus asked.

"Your honor," Carson stood at attention. "The defense's questioning is way out of line."

"Where are you going with this?" the judge asked.

"Your honor, we believe that Ms. Thatcher had an argument with her boyfriend, and used Mr. Brockwell to make him jealous," he commented.

"Be careful, I'll let a few questions, but I won't allow you to badger her."

"Ms. Thatcher, didn't you in fact have an argument with your boyfriend and didn't you plan to use Mr. Brockwell to upset him?"

Wanting to answer correctly, Elizabeth thought for a moment…

"Having trouble answering?" Mr. Baccus asked.

"No, I don't remember if my boyfriend and I had an argument at the time, but I know for certain that I would never have used him," Elizabeth glanced quickly at Brockwell, "Or anyone else to make my boyfriend jealous."

"Well Ms. Thatcher, I say you did have an argument, you were angry…maybe it was because he didn't come to pick you up like he promised."

Elizabeth's respiration was shaky. She wasn't even certain that she was breathing but managed to blurt out, "That is completely untrue. We didn't have an argument and I wasn't upset with my boyfriend…"

"Oh, so now you conveniently remember?" Mr. Baccus snapped back.

"You honor," Carson objected. "The defense has gone way off the path here. He is still badgering the witness."

"Your honor, I just need one more question," Mr. Baccus begged for a final opportunity to break her.

"One more question, but after that this line of questioning is done," the judge ordered.

"Ms. Thatcher isn't it correct that because of the anger you were holding against your boyfriend that you encouraged my client? Isn't it true that you implied certain intimacies with him and that you suggested that he take you to the empty stable area where you two could be alone?"

"Your honor, that's more than one question and he's still badgering her," Carson objected.

"Move on Mr. Baccus," Judge Brown ordered.

Elizabeth's breathing was shallow, but was also becoming more rapid and her voice became louder, as both attorneys jumped up and were attempting to address the court.

Elizabeth jumped up, "That is a bold face lie."

Just as the judge began to pound his gavel on the bench, Elizabeth yelled, "I wouldn't sleep with him. I haven't slept with any man…"

Her eyes widened at the impact of what she'd just said in open court. She could only hope that through the yelling between the defense attorney and Commonwealth's Attorney, that no one heard her. However, by that time, she'd actually had enough and she didn't care any longer.

"How dare you imply that I wanted him; he dragged me from my classroom while holding a knife to my throat," she angrily yelled as her tears began.

"Ms. Thatcher, please be quiet…" Judge Brown ordered.

At this point she heard nothing but the screaming in her own head, "He slammed me against the roof of the car and threw me inside like I was a limp ragdoll. He's the one who forced me into the equipment shed and began ripping at my clothes. I wanted to get away; I didn't want him; I fought him with everything I had…I was so scared that he was going to kill me."

It was as if once the words began, she had no control to stop them. "I hate you. I hate that I hate you, because that's not me. But I feel lucky; the other girls didn't have a chance. You took their lives away as if they meant nothing."

Elizabeth stood from her seat and looked Brockwell in the eyes, "You didn't break me. I am stronger than you and after today, I will never concern myself with you again. I hope you rot in prison."

"Ms. Thatcher, I'm not going to tell you again. Be quiet. The jury is to disregard the witness's outburst," the judge ordered.

Brockwell fumed as he began glancing around, noticing that several of the bailiffs were no longer in the room. The one bailiff closest to Elizabeth actually left his post to quiet the spectators in the back of the courtroom.

"This line of questioning is through, move on…" Judge Brown admonished the defense counsel.

As his attorney continued to question Elizabeth, doing his best with acceptable questions to push her farther over the edge, Brockwell jumped from his seat and rushed the witness stand, "You bitch, you're a liar. I should have killed you when I had the chance…"

He pushed passed his attorney, knocking him to the floor. Before Elizabeth could move, Brockwell was reaching for her. He grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the front of the witness stand as his other arm came toward her with something in his hand.

Hearing her scream, Jack burst through the door, reaching the witness stand and Elizabeth before the remaining two bailiffs that were in the courtroom had even recognized the disturbance.

Jack grabbed Brockwell's arm, forcing him to release Elizabeth. He then pushed Elizabeth to the ground and began wrestling with Brockwell for the makeshift knife that he apparently managed to sneak out of the jail.

One of the bailiffs was attempting to clear the courtroom, pushing Lee back as Rosie was screaming for him to be careful.

The judge was quickly ushered out of the courtroom, as the screams and yelling could be heard throughout the building. Several more bailiffs rushed into the courtroom as Jack finally held Brockwell on the ground. The handcuffs were on and the shackles were attached to his ankles before he was picked up off the ground.

The screaming from those who remained in the courtroom had yet to cease as Jack ran behind the witness stand looking for Elizabeth. She wasn't there…

"ELIZABETH…" he yelled trying to get his voice heard over the commotion. Jack glanced under the judge's bench and observed her shoe. He pushed the chair out of the way and sat on the floor in front of her.

The room was still unruly with people screaming, bailiffs rushing about and the jury being ushered to the back.

"Elizabeth," he called out as his hand touched her arm.

Her eyes remained closed, refusing to look, denying the possibility that Brockwell could still get to her. It was almost as if she didn't see or hear anything then she would be okay. She began kicking her feet, making contact with Jack's arms and torso.

"You won't hurt me again. Get away. I'd rather die," she screamed as he backed away slightly but continued to call her name and speak softly to her.

The noise in the courtroom quieted. People were still screaming, but everyone had been ushered out into the hallway or into the Jury Sequester room, so the noise was off in the distance.

She could finally hear Jack; she could smell Jack, but she cautiously opened her eyes. "Jack…" she cried.

He scooted closer to her, and as she leaned into him. He held her tightly, rocking their bodies back and forth until she stopped crying.

"Did he hurt you?" he asked.

She said nothing as her body trembled, but indicated that physically she thought she was fine.

He helped her out from under the judge's bench and walked her to the back door and into the hallway.

"Jack," Judge Brown called out from his doorway.

"Yes sir…"

"Is she okay?"

"Yes sir, I believe so. But if it's okay with you, I need to get her out of here."

"Of course. Jack, wait…is that your blood?"

Having taken his jacket off and laid it on a chair outside the back courtroom door before rushing in during the commotion, he glanced at his right side where the blood stain was evident against his torn light blue shirt.

"I'm fine sir. I'll get it checked out," Jack promised.

"I know you will…" Judge Brown called out to his bailiff. "Don, call 9-1-1 and get an ambulance over here."

Jack looked at the bailiff; he was tall, every bit of 6'2" with green eyes, and looking perfect with not one dark brown hair on his head out of place. Jack wondered where he was when the commotion took place. Based on his size, his presence would have been beneficial.

"Sir, they were already dispatched since we didn't know what we were facing here."

"Deputy, take Detective Thornton out to the paramedics. You can tell the medical personnel what happened. I'm sure that Detective Thornton doesn't want to talk about it now."

"I don't need any help," Jack stated as he glanced over at Judge Brown's bailiff.

"Ma'am, I can take you someplace safe to sit down while you wait for the detective."

"I can take care of her, but thank you," Jack quickly added.

"Make sure you're seen by a paramedic, Jack."

"Yes sir, I will."

Elizabeth saw very little except what was right before her eyes until Judge Brown mentioned Jack's injury. No longer was she concerned for herself and the fear she felt. She reached inside her pocket and removed a handkerchief, pulled his shirt out of his waistband and lifted it to observe a gash that appeared to be a relatively clean slice that was luckily no longer bleeding.

"Come on Jack; let's get you to an ambulance," she stated as she tugged on his arm.

Jack remained still as he stood beside her in the back hallway staring out the window onto the courtyard below. He pulled out his phone and called Lee, "Hey, can you and Rosie meet us out by the ambulances?"

"Sure, we'll be right there. Wait, ambulance? Are you and Elizabeth okay?"

Jack replied, "We're fine. I have a cut on my side and I promised that I'd have it looked at. Are you guys okay?"

"Rosie's frantic, but she'll be okay once she sees Elizabeth."

As they walked toward the ambulance, Elizabeth's voice cracked as she began to speak. "J-ack," she swallowed hard. "Let me try that again. Jack, I just realized something…"

"What?"

"I'm not sure, but I think I told everyone in court that I'm a virgin. Well, maybe not in so many words, but basically the same meaning."

"Did the lawyer ask you that?"

"No, but he was saying horrible things and implying that I wanted to have sex with Brockwell, and well, it just came out."

"Well you are a virgin, so that's the truth."

"No, that's not what I mean. Aren't you worried that the guys will tease you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Jack, we've been dating for quite a while and your friends are liable to tease you because you haven't gotten me into bed."

Jack laughed, "Honey, I'm not embarrassed, and my true friends would never tease me over something like that."

"Okay, I just wanted you to know what I did."

"Don't be embarrassed; be proud. Not everyone has the strong convictions you have."

As Jack stepped up and sat just inside the ambulance with Elizabeth standing only a few feet away, Carson ran up, "Is Jack okay? Are you okay?"

"I'm okay, thanks to Jack. We're waiting for them to finish checking him out, but it looks like a laceration. Hopefully there isn't any major damage," she replied as she glanced back inside hoping to see what they were doing to Jack.

"Elizabeth, I don't know what to say other than I'm so very sorry for everything that happened here." Carson seemed quite sincere, but given the concern that she and Jack had expressed, she wasn't interested in his apologies.

"Just make sure he stays locked up for a long, long time," she stated as she turned and stepped up into the door of the ambulance.

She observed the paramedic bandaging Jack's side as he turned and looked in her direction, "I'm fine. Let's get out of here."

"Jack, get your doctor to check that out, ok?" Morgan, the paramedic called out.

"I will, but I know you did a great job," Jack replied as he took Elizabeth's hand and walked away.

They met up with Lee and Rosie and continued to Jack's truck.

"You okay?" Lee asked.

"Yes, it's just a laceration. It's been cleaned and dressed…I'll be fine," Jack stated as he pulled Elizabeth against his uninjured side. "Hey," Jack stuck out his arm to shake Lee's hand, "Thank you both for being here for Elizabeth."

"We wouldn't have thought of being anywhere else today," Rosie replied.

Lee and Rosie continued on to Lee's car, leaving Jack and Elizabeth at his truck.

"Do you want to go home?" he asked but she was paying no attention.

"Jack, will I have to face him again?"

Remembering several violent cases he'd dealt with in the past in which they used closed circuit TV monitors during the testimony, he assured her, "I promise you'll never have to see him again…"

They drove to Elizabeth's apartment where they spent the rest of the day. Both were emotionally exhausted, and they fell asleep in each other's arms on her sofa.

Elizabeth woke and sat quietly as she watched Jack sleep. He hadn't spoken much since they'd returned to her place, but she knew there was a need for him to talk. Realizing the things she'd said in court, there was also a need for her to talk as well.

As he began to stir, her fingers brushed several strands of hair off of his face. "How are you feeling?"

"A little sore, but I'll survive," he replied.

Following a light dinner, Elizabeth asked Jack to take her for a walk around her apartment complex's apparently empty courtyard.

It was cold outside, but the chill in the air energized her, making her thankful to simply be alive.

Standing by the picnic tables, he initially didn't take her hand, but remembering what happened last time, she took the initiative and grabbed hold of his.

She felt his fingers close tightly around hers as they simply walked; first around the courtyard and then out the gate and toward the Starbucks that was located several blocks away.

"Are you sure you want to stay out here?" he asked as he could visibly watch his breath with each word he spoke.

Realizing that the temperature had dropped since they'd left her apartment, they made their way back to her place.

He stopped at his truck, "Aren't you coming back inside with me?" she asked.

"I probably need to head home," he replied.

"Jack, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's just been a long day, and I'm sure you're tired."

"Jack, don't do this," she was surprised that he was leaving, but even more shocked that he didn't feel the need to see her safely to her door.

"I'm not doing anything."

"Yes you are; you're shutting me out. Please don't do that. I need you now; maybe even more than I did when he first attacked me," she stated as she fought the tears but they fell anyway.

"Elizabeth, you asked me before what scares me…this, this scares me. It scares me to get so close to someone and then have them taken away," his tone was stern and matter of fact. "The possibility of losing you is my worst nightmare, and I felt it coming true today."

It was as if the flood gates opened, and before she could say anything to dispel his doubts, he continued, "I told you that you'd be safe. I built you up thinking that everything would be okay; that he'd never get near you again, but he almost did. I let you down, Elizabeth."

"Let me down? Jack Thornton, you were the only person who came in to save me. I'm here right now because of you. You pulled him off me the first time, and again today, you made certain that he couldn't get to me. You have never let me down," she stated as her hand left his waist and framed his face.

Her thumbs brushed away a few tears that fell as he looked down, trying his best to escape the moment.

"Look at me," she stated as her hands on his face lifted his eyes, forcing them to meet hers. "I love you. You are an amazing man, and I'm not going to let you back away from me because you think you've let me down. It's not going to happen this time."

"I need to go home. I'll call you tomorrow," he stated as he opened the door to his truck and gingerly climbed inside.

She stood beside the truck unable to speak. She stood motionless assuming that he would come to his senses, but once she heard the engine roar, she stepped up onto the curb. Elizabeth turned away from him once she heard him shift the truck into reverse and she headed through the gate and around the corner into her courtyard.

"Elizabeth…" she heard his voice causing her to turn around and return to the gate.

Never having left his parking space, he shut off the engine, stepped from his truck and quickly closed the distance between them.

"I'm sorry; I don't mean to shut you out and I don't want to make the mistakes I've made before," he stated as his arms rested on her shoulders. "But Elizabeth, sometimes I just don't feel like talking and tonight is one of those nights. Is that okay with you?"

"Whatever you need Jack. Just know that anything we face, we're stronger together, okay?"

He pressed his lips to hers, "Thank you for understanding." He took her hand and they started walking toward her building. "Let me walk you to your apartment."

As they walked down her hallway, Jack observed several people who passed them either glancing at Elizabeth suspiciously, or actually stopping her to inquire about what happened in court.

Once they reached her door, she assumed that he would simply leave. He took the key from her hand and opened her door, stepping aside as she walked into her apartment, happily greeted by Baloo. She turned around and expecting him to leave she wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly.

"I love you, please just remember that…"

"Hey Elizabeth," Mark from down the hall, accompanied by several male friends, stated as they stopped by on their way down to the elevator. "We saw the news; are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she replied.

"Are you Jack?" Mark asked.

"Yes," Jack replied.

Mark stuck out his arm to shake his hand. "Elizabeth always says how lucky she is to have you. According to the news report and how you took that guy down, I'd say she's right."

Mark and his friends started down the hall before he ran back to Elizabeth's door. "Hey, I don't mean this to sound odd, but I think a lot of Elizabeth. She helped my girlfriend pass a math class that she needed for graduation, and she has just always been a bright spot around here. So thank you for saving her today. The court video was released, and it had to have been a wild scene. You're a hero man."

Before Jack could respond, Mark was down the hall with his friends.

"He's right, you know."

Jack stepped inside and closed the door, "I'm no hero."

"Jack," Elizabeth stated as one arm went around his neck and her other hand rested along his jaw bone, "You're a hero to me."

"Jack, I know that you don't want to talk, and I'll respect that, for now. But you have to know that I went through it too, and we need to share this with each other."

"I know, but just not tonight. I'm tired and I don't know if it's just the medication or maybe a combination of everything, but I can't deal with it tonight."

"Are you staying here tonight?"

"I will if we don't have to talk."

"Jack, I told you that I understand how you feel. We won't discuss anything tonight, but we don't need to let too much time pass before we do. I won't go through what I did the last time. You were pushing me away and my stomach was constantly in knots. I won't do that again, Jack."

He shook his head to acknowledge that he knew she was right.

"Besides Jack, it can't be good for you to keep everything bottled up inside. So please, let me in."

"Later, just not tonight."

They walked down the hall to her bedroom. She pulled a pair of sweatpants from her closet that he'd previously left behind and handed them to him. She retrieved her pajama bottoms and a t-shirt from her dresser and headed for the bathroom, closing her bedroom door to give him some privacy.

Ten minutes later she tapped on the door. "Jack, are you dressed?" she whispered. Hearing nothing she stepped inside the darkened room.

She walked around to the other side of the bed and hearing nothing but his breathing, she slipped under the covers. The room was dimly lit; the only visible light came from the bathroom, which barely illuminated the hallway.

She knew that he didn't want to talk, but she'd hoped for a good night kiss…she got neither. As she scooted over closer to him, she could hear him breathing and became quickly aware that he was asleep and could sense that his body was facing away from her. Trying to respect his space, she turned her back to him, took a deep breath, closed her eyes and attempted to sleep.

For thirty minutes she laid still, tears slipping from the sides of her eyes, wanting him to hold her, needing him to hold her. However, feeling that he didn't need her, she slipped out of bed.

Through her tears, Elizabeth fumbled in the dark, stubbing her toe on the dresser before finding what she was looking for, her journal, sitting on her desk. She grabbed her prized possession and headed for the den.

Waiting on the coffee, Elizabeth leaned against the kitchen counter, grabbed a pint of chocolate chip ice cream from the freezer and began to eat from the carton. By the sixth overly filled spoonful, she realized that writing in her journal was much better therapy than her current sugar high. The ice cream was returned to the freezer; she poured a cup of coffee and returned to the den.

Elizabeth glanced down the dimly lit hallway. She was glad that Jack had spent the night, as neither of them needed to be alone. However, she prayed that he wouldn't allow what recently happened and his fear of losing her to come between them.

She opened her journal, flipped to the next blank page and attempted to convey her feelings onto the paper…

" _ **Relationships begin beautifully. Generally each person experiences the honeymoon phase so to speak, yet quickly things become complicated, often times leaving one or both individuals feeling raw inside. Communication, or rather the lack thereof, can be a big issue among couples. If neither person feels the need to talk, there appears to be no noticeable problem. However, once one person pushes and the other withdraws, not only are you not talking about the original concern, but you find yourself fearing the attempt to discuss anything, good or bad.**_

 _ **Do words have to be so difficult to speak? Why should communication be expected from one, but not the other? Could it be that opening our hearts to those feelings leaves us vulnerable, unwilling to accept that we may on occasion need to lean on the shoulders of others? Communication, both verbal and nonverbal, is essential is any relationship. Giving one the chance to come to terms with their feelings is appropriate, however choosing to completely shut the other out will do nothing but add anxiety and uncertainty to the union.**_

 _ **Communication within a relationship should be respectful, realizing that harsh words, those spoken in haste and without thought last long after any argument. Although the tongue is small and without bones, it is extremely strong and quite capable of easily breaking a heart. In retrospect, in order to understand how others feel, it is essential to listen not only to what they say but to their quiet voice as well. Their silence has the ability to speak volumes if you only listen. But it is important to note that in ignoring someone, you are simply teaching them what is needed to live without you."**_

Elizabeth stretched out on her sofa, pulled the blanket over her body and eventually fell asleep. Hearing him calling out her name in the middle of the night drew her back to the bedroom. She slipped in beside him, but maintained her distance.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. Before they realized it, summer was upon them. They had never discussed what happened in court, and as Elizabeth attempted to get closer, she felt him pushing her away.

They dated, and he was still the chivalrous man he'd always been, but she quickly found that he was not someone who liked to share his innermost feelings. It was apparent that discussing his emotions was extremely difficult for him, finding it much easier to suppress them. When Elizabeth tried to get closer, he became angry and pushed her back.

Finally she'd had enough. They met for dinner at the Brickhouse after work. They ordered their dinner and walked over to play a game of pool.

"Jack, you can break."

"No, you go ahead."

"No, you always let me go first. So you go ahead."

She watched him as the Q-ball slammed in and sent three more balls into pockets. He took another shot and missed.

Turning toward her he caught her staring across the room at a couple sitting at a table holding hands. The longer she stared it became more evident from the couple's actions that they were lost in each other.

"That's the way we used to be," she stated with a tone of sadness.

"Things change; people change. It's not always roses, dancing and romance," he responded before returning to the pool game.

"I know things change, Jack, and believe me, I'm aware that it isn't all wonderful, but it shouldn't be this hard either."

"Hard? What's so hard? We spend time together; what else do you want?"

Elizabeth looked around and found most of the patrons either at the bar or sitting at their table watching the baseball game on one of the multitude of TV's throughout the restaurant. "Jack, to be honest with you, I want to know how you feel about things, you know…what makes you tick? What makes you worry, and does anything scare you? Because right now I'm scared."

Elizabeth waited for his response but he simply turned back to the pool table, giving her the feeling that he was ignoring her. "Everything is so superficial with you. Are you happy Jack? Not that you care, but I'm not. I need more from you."

Jack slammed his hand down on the side of the pool table, startling her and causing her to jump backwards away from him. "Elizabeth, can't you be satisfied with things as they are? I love you; you know that, isn't that enough? I'm not able to give you more right now."

She laid her pool stick across the middle of the table, walked over to Jack and as she stepped passed him she said, "I thought it was, but it isn't." She grabbed her purse from the table, turned to him one final time, "Goodbye Jack."

Elizabeth walked out the door as Jack stood unable to move. _**What have I done?**_

As days passed, Jack felt that maybe it was for the best. He missed her, he couldn't deny that, but he told himself that it was safer in the long run not to get too attached. _**The only way to keep from feeling pain is to not get involved.**_

Again the days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. Elizabeth looked for Jack everywhere she went, but they never seemed to cross paths. Assuming that her time with Jack was definitely done, she eventually moved on and began dating a plastic surgeon, Donovan Bradshaw, a handsome 6'2" man with bold green eyes and dark brown hair, who quickly fell for her.

Previously, her mind snapped a picture of everyone she saw, and somehow Jack's image appeared in all of them. With Donovan's help, she gradually found it possible to push her memories of Jack deep down as she started to make new ones with him. She often laughed to herself that his surgical skills had been able to remove Jack's image from her mind.

Jack, on the other hand was eaten up with "What ifs" and "If I'd only tried harder." However, as time passed, finding the courage to contact her became more difficult and finally impossible for him.

He spent time with his brothers in blue shooting hoops almost every evening after work, and although they meant well, he did his best to dodge questions regarding Elizabeth.

"Jack, what's with you lately? I mean you never played ball with us before, and now, the past few months you're here every night. Don't you have a life?" Detective Schaeffer offered.

"Well, you're here too."

"True, but everyone knows that my wife left me. What's your excuse?"

Before Jack could answer, Detective Schaeffer blurted out, "Oh wait, your girl left you?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Right… and I'll bet that not talking is what led to your breakup," Detective Schaeffer remarked.

"Well, she did like to talk. I just don't always feel the need."

"I know what you mean. My wife told me that she would respect my desire not to talk, but that we couldn't let too much time pass before we do. She said that her stomach was in knots most of the time not knowing what to expect from me."

"WOW, women must use the same script. That sounds like what happened with Elizabeth and me."

Detective Schaeffer grabbed the basketball and threw it in the bin. "Come on Thornton, we're going to The Mad Hatter for a drink, my treat."

Jack initially declined but after much prodding by Detective Schaeffer and several others they headed to the club.

Sitting at the bar someone tapped on Jack's shoulder, as he turned around, no one was there. However, his eyes caught a glimpse of her across the room. She was as beautiful as ever, but unlike him, she looked happy.

As he continued to watch her, some unknown force caused her to look in his direction. Their eyes met; it seemed to have been forever since they'd seen each other last. His heart pounded as she walked toward him.

"Hi Jack," she stated as she leaned in and kissed his cheek.

"Hi Elizabeth," he replied. "How have you been?"

"I'm doing well now. Thank you for asking. And you?"

"Oh, I'm doing great," he stated as he attempted to make her feel that he didn't need her. He looked at the man standing closely beside her, realizing that he hadn't noticed him before.

"Oh Jack, this is Dr. Donovan Bradshaw…Donovan, this is Detective Jack Thornton," she appeared nervous. Not having seen Jack in what seemed like forever, she was no longer interested in talking and was anxious to leave.

"How did you two meet," Jack asked her as he paid no attention to her date.

"At a party," Elizabeth replied. "It was nice to see you Jack, but I think we'd better go."

As Elizabeth turned to walk away Jack grabbed her hand, "Can we talk?"

"I don't think we have anything to talk about, do you?"

"What's this?" Jack asked as he held up her hand and studied the object on her left ring finger.

She wrapped her arm through Donovan's, "It's an engagement ring. I'm sorry, I didn't know how to tell you, or if you'd even care" she stated.

His heart pounded as he thought _**I do care. I never stopped caring.**_

"Oh wait, is this the Jack?" Donovan asked.

"Yes, Jack and I were friends a while ago. It was really nice seeing you. Take care, Jack," she stated as she turned and walked away.

Donovan leaned in on his way by, "I guess it's my luck that you don't like to talk." Donovan rushed to catch up with Elizabeth.

Jack was devastated as he watched Donovan take hold of Elizabeth's left hand, pull it up to his lips for a kiss, and then out the door, and out of his life she strolled.

Jack lay in bed tossing and turning, the visual of Elizabeth wearing another man's engagement ring was truly more than his heart could stand.

He shot up in bed, "ELIZABETH," he yelled.

Jolted from a deep sleep, Elizabeth rolled over and put her hand on his arm, "Jack, wake up. Honey, wake up, you're dreaming…"

Jack rolled over to face her. He looked surprised, but quickly placed his hand behind her head, as he pressed his lips firmly, urgently upon hers, thankfully allowing everything about her to flood him.

His lips met hers again and again. Each kiss was slow and deliberate, as the soft warmth of his voice melted her. "Elizabeth, I love you so much."

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest. "I'm so sorry. I love you; I have always loved you. Let's talk; the first thing I need to say is, don't marry Donovan…"

To be continued…


	9. Chapter 9- Make the Time

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters within this story. All rights and much respect go to Crown Media, Hallmark, Brian Bird, Michael Landon, Jr., the actors, creators, and writers of the show "When Calls the Heart."**

 _ **Chapter 9- Make the Time**_

As he held her, she sensed that something was wrong. His respiration was rapid and bold, "Jack, what's wrong? What was your nightmare about? And who's Donovan?"

"I'm sorry…"

"Jack, what's wrong?"

"I'm sorry that I pushed you away before. I know talking is important, and I want to give you what you need, so let's talk."

"Jack, its 3am. Do you really want to talk now?"

"Please? I need to talk to you about something."

"Okay, let's talk…" she stated as she turned on her right side, laid back on the bed and rested her head on her elbow. "Before you start, can you tell me who Donovan is?"

He faced her, staring into her sleepy crystal blue eyes he found the need to fight the urge to roll her on her back and kiss her hard, tasting her soft, warm lips.

"I'll explain about Donovan, but first, I just want to tell you that I'm sorry about what I said before."

"Jack, its 3am and I'm kinda lost here. Can you be a bit more specific?"

"When we talked earlier and I said that this scares me, I didn't mean you and me." Jack began to ramble, "I guess if I'm honest you and me does scare me a little, but not being with you, it's losing you. I mean what scares me is being so close to someone and then having what happened in court…Elizabeth, there was the possibility that I could have lost you."

Hearing the emotion in his voice she quickly sat up in bed, "Jack, you saved me. I'm not sure that the bailiffs were even paying attention, but when it happened, he grabbed me before I knew it, and in a split second you were there."

Elizabeth's fingers ran up and down his arm as her other hand gently rested along his jaw line. They each had tears in their eyes, as hers fell more readily than his.

Her thumbs brushed away the few tears that managed to slip passed his eyelids, and his lips kissed away the salty droplets that threatened to streak her cheeks.

"Jack, I'm sorry if I pushed you too much last night. I just didn't want us to drift apart like we did last time; that's what scared me."

"Elizabeth, you have a right to get what you need in this relationship, and if I'm not giving it to you, I hope you'll feel comfortable telling me."

"Jack, I hope you'll feel comfortable doing the same."

"Well, now that you mention it…"

"What is it Jack?"

"I don't think that we've had enough time alone, but I have a remedy for that," he stated with a smile.

"So, what might your remedy be?" she asked.

"Have you ever been camping?" he asked.

"No, I can't say that I have."

"Will you go with me?"

"I'd love to; when?"

"This weekend?"

"Isn't it too cold at night to camp?" she asked, suddenly feeling a chill run up her spine.

"I'll keep you warm," he promised. "Actually, I was thinking about next month. The weather will be warmer, and we can pick a weekend where you're off on a Friday, and we can get three days alone together."

"Well, that's an offer I can't pass up. I can make arrangements for Baloo…"

"Baloo can come too. We'll fish and hike and cook out," he was so excited, almost like a kid at Christmas.

"Where do you want to go?"

"My dad used to take us to Williamsburg, and we'd camp on the hill overlooking the James River. How does that sound?"

"That sounds wonderful. What do I need to get? I mean, I know we need a tent and sleeping bags, but what else?"

"Don't you worry about a thing; I'll take care of it all," he stated.

Jack lay back in bed, "It's only 4:15, still some time left to sleep."

She sat staring at him but said nothing. Assuming that he had simply forgotten a good night kiss, he sat up and with his hand behind her head he pulled her close. Just before their lips touched…

"Who's Donovan?" she whispered.

Jack leaned back, "I don't know, but apparently in my dream you were engaged to him."

"Did we get married?" she giggled.

"No, I woke up in a cold sweat when I felt the engagement ring on your finger," he admitted.

Laying his head back on the pillow she folded her arms, supporting them across his chest, as her chin rested on her hands.

"You are a remarkable man, Jack Thornton. I am truly blessed to have you in my life. In case you don't know, I love you," she stated as she moved her body up until their lips met.

He felt the warmth spread through his body with the simple touch of her lips. He knew that this woman was going to be the death of him, but all he could think of was _**Whata way to go…**_

She leaned back slightly; their eyes met; there were no words spoken, at this moment, there were no words needed.

Jack rolled her over on her back as she felt his full weight pressed upon her. He leaned down; she could feel the tickle of his warm breath on her neck as his lips made contact with her soft skin.

Her eyes closed as his tongue traced along her neck, across her jaw line and to her chin. One of his hands slipped behind her head as the other traced along the outline of her waist and hips; eliciting new sounds as she settled into the different feels of her body.

He looked between her eyes and lips, knowing in his mind that he was pushing the limits, but the hold she had on him made it difficult to back away. He wanted her; he needed her, and with each kiss, each deeply passionate kiss, he was finding it virtually impossible to back away.

They both knew that their emotions were taking them on a risky, unable to turn around ride down a one way street. Even her strong desire to remain chaste until her wedding night was being put to the test.

She felt his weight lifted off her body as he rolled over and his feet hit the floor.

"Where are you going?" she barely managed to ask. Her body was warm, she found it difficult to breathe, and her desire to remain a virgin had completely left the room.

He knelt down beside the bed, "Do you have any idea how much I want you right now?"

She giggled nervously, "I believe I do."

"Jack," she called out as he walked toward the door. "I want you too…"

He walked back and kissed her forehead, "Exactly and that's why I'm going out to sleep on the sofa."

She watched as he opened the door. He stepped out into the hallway and as the door closed, she called out, "I love you."

He turned to face her and whispered, "I love you too."

And with that the door closed tightly and he was gone. She lay in bed alone and suddenly the lack of his body heat left her feeling chilly. She closed her eyes and willed herself to sleep. However, the more she pushed for quiet and sleep, the louder her thoughts became.

She slipped out of bed and grabbed the sweatshirt that hung on her vanity chair. Immediately feeling warmed from the outside in, she quickly realized that she preferred the warmth Jack provided from the inside out.

She grabbed her journal from the top of the vanity and retreated to her bed. Slipping under the covers, she pulled them up to her waist, slid her pillow behind her for comfort and leaned her back against the headboard. She opened her journal and the pages immediately flipped to her last entry. She felt the sadness in her words as she read…

" _ **Relationships begin beautifully. Generally each person experiences the honeymoon phase so to speak, yet quickly things become complicated, often times leaving one or both individuals feeling raw inside. Communication, or rather the lack thereof, can be a big issue among couples. If neither person feels the need to talk, there appears to be no noticeable problem. However, once one person pushes and the other withdraws, not only are you not talking about the original concern, but you find yourself fearing the attempt to discuss anything, good or bad.**_

 _ **Do words have to be so difficult to speak? Why should communication be expected from one, but not the other? Could it be that opening our hearts to those feelings leaves us vulnerable, unwilling to accept that we may on occasion need to lean on the shoulders of others? Communication, both verbal and nonverbal, is essential is any relationship. Giving one the chance to come to terms with their feelings is appropriate, however choosing to completely shut the other out will do nothing but add anxiety and uncertainty to the union.**_

 _ **Communication within a relationship should be respectful, realizing that harsh words, those spoken in haste and without thought last long after any argument. Although the tongue is small and without bones, it is extremely strong and quite capable of easily breaking a heart. In retrospect, in order to understand how others feel, it is essential to listen not only to what they say but to their quiet voice as well. Their silence has the ability to speak volumes if you only listen. But it is important to note that in ignoring someone, you are simply teaching them what is needed to live without you."**_

She was thankful that it was Jack, without her pushing, who came to the realization that talking, though difficult at times, was essential in any relationship. As she flipped to the next blank page, she felt blessed to have experienced the good and bad with him. For in the darkest of her days he was a constant in her life, helping her to feel safe when her fears tried to hold her down.

She took a deep breath, glanced toward the hallway, and as if she had x-ray vision, she believed in her heart that she saw him sitting on the sofa staring back at her bedroom door.

She clicked her pen and began to put her feelings down onto the blank canvas…

" _ **Communicating when you're excited takes little effort. The emotional thrill pushes the words passed your lips quickly and easily. On the other hand, communicating when the situation is uncomfortable may be difficult, seemingly impossible at times. Fear of opening up pockets of negativity leads to the possibility of misunderstandings and hurt feelings. Saying nothing leads those to feel that you don't care, are unconcerned or haven't even noticed the difference.**_

 _ **Assuming that your partner could not possibly understand your pain, you remain quiet, all the while allowing the hurt feelings to eat away at you. Your partner is left wondering what they did that caused the change and what they could have done differently. And still you remain quiet. Maybe it's because you feel that they should know, or possibly it's because you don't even know.**_

 _ **No matter the precipitous, releasing the anger, fear, hurt and disappointment is the best way to heal, allowing you as an individual and couple to move forward. Knowing that you can discuss anything, the good and the bad, leaves no subject off limits.**_

 _ **Therefore, finding a partner is not about looking for one who is physically appealing, sexy, intelligent, charismatic, smart and successful. Those things may initially draw your attention. However, what will keep your interest and spark your desire is to find that one special person who makes you feel safe and comfortable, both physically and emotionally. It's the person who is willing to open themselves up, allowing you the opportunity to crawl inside and make yourself at home. It's that person who will fight their own uneasiness, letting you know that above all else, you matter. It's that one person who can and will brighten your worst day, just by the simple thought of them, and it's the one person who would break their own heart while trying to keep yours safe."**_

Several hours later, Elizabeth walked down the hall toward the den. She smiled at the sight of Jack sleeping on the sofa with Baloo curled up at his feet. She tiptoed over, pulling the blanket over his shoulder and kissed his forehead.

As she walked away she heard him dreamily whisper, "I love you Elizabeth."

"I love you too," she whispered back.

She walked into the kitchen and put on a pot of coffee. Fifteen minutes later, Jack walked in as she plated their pancakes and sausage, pulling the warm syrup from the microwave and the butter from the refrigerator.

Jack took the plates and silverware and headed for the dining room while she grabbed the two mugs of coffee and Baloo's breakfast.

After breakfast, Elizabeth and Baloo walked Jack outside to his truck. Although she had taken today off from work, Jack needed to go by his place to change before heading to the precinct.

Days and weeks passed as the time arrived for their camping trip. Jack pulled into the parking lot at her apartment at 8am, wanting to get an early start to hit the Scotland Ferry before noon. Elizabeth only needed to bring her bag, and Baloo's food as the three of them quickly piled into his truck.

It was a beautiful spring day; the sun was high in the sky by the time they pulled his truck onto the Pocahontas and were directed to the front of the ferry. They stepped outside, putting Baloo on a leash and walked over to the railing. They watched as the shore on one side faded, while the other side became closer.

Once in the camping area, Jack was directed to a beautiful site enclosed by trees, with an opening that overlooked the James River.

"Jack look, it's beautiful," Elizabeth stated as she stepped closer to the ledge and the river.

"It's the most beautiful thing that I've ever seen," he replied as she glance over and found him staring back at her.

"Jack Thornton, you're silly."

"I'm silly in love," he stated as they both laughed softly.

"Okay, so what do we do first? I mean, I guess we need to set up our tent," She stated as she looked at all of the equipment in the back of his truck.

"First I do this," he stated as his hand swept several loose strands of hair behind her ear.

"Then what?" she whispered.

"I do this," he stated as his hands slipped around her waist and pulled her closer.

"So far I like camping. So what's next?" her heart pounded.

He said nothing; words were not needed. All that was between them were soft lips, searching tongues and passionate emotions.

"As much as I'd love to continue this, I need to build our house," he stated with a soft laugh.

Jack pulled the tent and stakes from the truck and laid it out in the perfect spot to watch the sunset, but where the sun would not catch them in the morning.

Elizabeth pulled the sleeping bags and coolers from the truck before helping Jack with the tent. "That doesn't look so hard," she stated.

She stood in the center of the tent with the middle pole which bowed from one side to the other, assuring him that everything was stable. "Jack, I'm not helpless."

"I didn't mean to imply that you were. I was just checking before I set this last post," he stated before he started hammering away.

"Okay, it's all done, you can come out."

Unaware that she needed to lock the post open, she released her hold, and the middle collapsed.

"AAAHHH," she screamed before breaking out into hysterical laughter.

Jack found the opening and made his way inside the large tent which consisted of two bedrooms and a common area. He held the top of the tent up as he worked his way inside, hearing her but unable to locate her.

He found Elizabeth before he located the middle stake. He held her as they both laughed, feeling Baloo pouncing on the outer collapsed tent.

"I'm sorry," she stated.

"You just wanted to be close to me."

"Well, I didn't think I needed to collapse the tent in order to do that."

"You don't," he whispered as his lips met hers. He rolled her over on her back as the bottom of the tent molded the sand beneath it into the contour of her body.

Her lips were soft and warm and the cherry lip balm she'd put on earlier remained, quickly becoming his favorite fruit.

Hearing Baloo bark Elizabeth managed to find the door opening and grab her four legged friend while Jack fixed the tent.

"Are you guys okay?" a campground attendant asked.

"Yes sir; it was my fault," Elizabeth stated.

With the tent up, Jack stepped back outside and assured the attendant that he had everything under control.

Jack and Elizabeth watched as more couples and families arrived, each one with their own reasons for being there, but all of them equally excited about the adventure.

"Jack, that is a beautiful Sea-Doo down there. Have you ever driven one?" she asked.

"Not out here, but I have driven one before," he stated.

They started down the hill with Baloo right beside them. Reaching the dock they walked toward the beautiful Sea-Doo, "Can we rent one?" she asked.

"I already did. Meet your watercraft for the weekend," he advised.

They rushed back to the campsite and Elizabeth changed into her shorts while Jack drove Baloo up to the main office and the kennel that they provided.

Elizabeth climbed onto the See-Doo behind Jack and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist. They had a great time cruising along the river, going slow in the no wake zones, but letting her fly when in the open water.

Jack pulled the watercraft up to shore and helped Elizabeth onto the dock. He secured the craft, took her hand and they walked back toward their campsite.

"I'm having the best time, Jack. Thank you so much for knowing what I needed," she stated as she rested her head on his chest.

Once they returned to their campsite, Jack went next door and assisted the forty something father of three with their shambles of a tent.

"Sweetheart, I'm going to get Baloo; I'll be right back."

"You two married?" Timothy, the man asked.

"No, not yet."

"WOW, you could have fooled me," Timothy replied.

"How long have you been married?" Jack asked.

"Siena and I married seventeen years ago; the best decision of my life," Timothy added.

"Do you bring your family camping often?" Jack asked.

"Not as much as I'd like to. With work and life, it always seems like things get in the way," Timothy stated.

Jack could sense sadness in Timothy's voice, but since they didn't know each other, he didn't know how to respond. All he could do was confirm what Timothy had already stated, "I know what you mean."

As Jack walked back to his campsite, Timothy stopped him, "Thanks for your help."

"You're welcome. You guys enjoy your weekend."

"Hey Jack, don't let life run you…just make sure you take control of it," Timothy remarked.

"What do you mean?"

"Jack, I work all the time. It was my choice, trying to make a life for my family. But now, I look back and I've missed so many things with my kids, the quiet times with my wife. Just don't make that mistake. Make the time for your loved ones."

"Thank you for the advice," Jack stated as he stuck out his arm to shake Timothy's hand.

"Are you okay?" Elizabeth asked as she observed the expression on his face upon his return to the campsite.

"It's just something the guy next door said."

"What was that?"

"I got the impression that maybe he works all the time, and it's had an impact on his marriage and family. I don't know; like maybe they don't spend much time together anymore."

As Elizabeth got up from her seat to help with dinner, he took her in his arms, "I love you, and I enjoy spending time with you."

"I love you too," she replied before quickly pressing her lips to his.

Jack proceeded to show Elizabeth how to cook an entire meal on the grill, consisting of chicken, potatoes and vegetables, all of which were wrapped in aluminum foil.

"Mmm, this is really good," she remarked.

Sitting by the campfire, Jack pulled out the graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate bars, inviting the family next door to join them for S'mores.

The kids cooked their marshmallows on the campfire and then made their S'mores before running around the site with Baloo.

"Well, they should sleep well tonight," Jack remarked.

"We can only hope so," Timothy replied.

The adults talked for a short while longer before Timothy and his family headed home. Each of the kids hugged Baloo and promised that they would be by to see him tomorrow.

Finally alone, Jack stood up and held out his hand, "Take a walk with me…"

Elizabeth took his hand and they headed down the path toward the dock. Walking out to the end they took a seat, side by side as Baloo secured his spot beside Elizabeth.

They watched as the ferries continued to shuffle vehicles from one side of the shore to the other.

Jack swallowed hard, "I know we've talked about the future before, but not in a long time. What do you see for yourself in a few years?"

"I hope that I can get back to teaching college courses, but I don't want to give up working with the kids. What about you?" she asked.

"Actually Elizabeth, I meant where do you see us in a few years?

"Is this about Donovan?" she unintentionally teased.

"No…maybe, well not him specifically. I just love you, and the thought of you being with anyone else, well it just isn't something I want to think about."

"Jack, you have no need to think about it. I have no desire to be with anyone else. So, to answer your question, I very much hope we're together. I'm not pushing for marriage, but I do see myself with you and kids in the future. So, if that's not what you're looking for, then maybe…"

"No, there is no maybe; that's exactly what I see for us as well."

Jack's finger under her chin turned her to face him. Each one smiled as he leaned in, their lips meeting perfectly like the one final puzzle piece which completed a beautiful picture.

Thinking about Timothy and his statement about working too much and missing family time, Jack wrapped his arm around her shoulders and held her tightly to his body. _**This is what life is all about. This is the life I want!**_

To be continued…


	10. Chapter 10- It Goes Both Ways

**_Disclaimer: I do not own the characters within this story. All rights and much respect go to Crown Media, Hallmark, Brian Bird, Michael Landon, Jr., the actors, creators, and writers of the show "When Calls the Heart." Any real people or places noted in the chapter are just there for storyline purposes._**

 _ **Chapter 10- It Goes Both Ways**_

 _ **Note: It has been a really long time since this one was updated, so for those who wanted it, I have included the last part of Chapter 9 to help with the transition into this chapter. For those who don't need it, simply scroll down to "Now on with our story…"**_

 _ **Recap of the Chapter 9 ending…**_

Once they returned to their campsite, Jack went next door and assisted the forty something father of three with their shambles of a tent.

"Sweetheart, I'm going to get Baloo; I'll be right back."

"You two married?" Timothy, the man asked.

"No, not yet."

"WOW, you could have fooled me," Timothy replied.

"How long have you been married?" Jack asked.

"Siena and I married seventeen years ago; the best decision of my life," Timothy added.

"Do you bring your family camping often?" Jack asked.

"Not as much as I'd like to. With work and life, it always seems like things get in the way," Timothy stated.

Jack could sense sadness in Timothy's voice, but since they didn't know each other, he didn't know how to respond. All he could do was confirm what Timothy had already stated, "I know what you mean."

As Jack walked back to his campsite, Timothy stopped him, "Thanks for your help."

"You're welcome. You guys enjoy your weekend."

"Hey Jack, don't let life run you…just make sure you take control of it," Timothy remarked.

"What do you mean?"

"Jack, I work all the time. It was my choice, trying to make a life for my family. But now, I look back and I've missed so many things with my kids, the quiet times with my wife. Just don't make that mistake. Make the time for your loved ones."

"Thank you for the advice," Jack stated as he stuck out his arm to shake Timothy's hand.

"Are you okay?" Elizabeth asked as she observed the expression on his face upon his return to the campsite.

"It's just something the guy next door said."

"What was that?"

"I got the impression that maybe he works all the time, and it's had an impact on his marriage and family. I don't know; like maybe they don't spend much time together anymore."

As Elizabeth got up from her seat to help with dinner, he took her in his arms, "I love you, and I enjoy spending time with you."

"I love you too," she replied before quickly pressing her lips to his.

Jack proceeded to show Elizabeth how to cook an entire meal on the grill, consisting of chicken, potatoes and vegetables, all of which were wrapped in aluminum foil.

"Mmm, this is really good," she remarked.

Sitting by the campfire, Jack pulled out the graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate bars, inviting the family next door to join them for S'mores.

The kids cooked their marshmallows on the campfire and then made their S'mores before running around the site with Baloo.

"Well, they should sleep well tonight," Jack remarked.

"We can only hope so," Timothy replied.

The adults talked for a short while longer before Timothy and his family headed home. Each of the kids hugged Baloo and promised that they would be by to see him tomorrow.

Finally alone, Jack stood up and held out his hand, "Take a walk with me…"

Elizabeth took his hand and they headed down the path toward the dock. Walking out to the end they took a seat, side by side as Baloo secured his spot beside Elizabeth.

They watched as the ferries continued to shuffle vehicles from one side of the shore to the other.

Jack swallowed hard, "I know we've talked about the future before, but not in a long time. What do you see for yourself in a few years?"

"I hope that I can get back to teaching college courses, but I don't want to give up working with the kids. What about you?" she asked.

"Actually Elizabeth, I meant where do you see us in a few years?

"Is this about Donovan?" she unintentionally teased.

"No…maybe, well not him specifically. I just love you, and the thought of you being with anyone else, well it just isn't something I want to think about."

"Jack, you have no need to think about it. I have no desire to be with anyone else. So, to answer your question, I very much hope we're together. I'm not pushing for marriage, but I do see myself with you and kids in the future. So, if that's not what you're looking for, then maybe…"

"No, there is no maybe; that's exactly what I see for us as well."

Jack's finger under her chin turned her to face him. Each one smiled as he leaned in, their lips meeting perfectly like the one final puzzle piece which completed a beautiful picture.

Thinking about Timothy and his statement about working too much and missing family time, Jack wrapped his arm around her shoulders and held her tightly to his body. _**This is what life is all about. This is the life I want!**_

 _ **Now on with our story…**_

Several weeks had passed since Jack took Elizabeth camping. Although the initial intent was for them to spend some much needed time alone, the family camping in the space beside them kept that from happening. However, it was not all for naught as in the days that they spent together, Jack and Elizabeth learned valuable lessons from their neighbors about the need to make time for those you love.

As a result, they each made a conscientious effort to put their relationship above all else, making the other a priority in their lives.

Initially that concept worked well, with barely a day or evening going by without them seeing or talking to each other. Each day, Elizabeth looked forward to her "Good Morning Beautiful" text, while Jack became more comfortable with the feeling of family that grew stronger during those evenings spent with her on the nights when he didn't have to work.

One afternoon on her way home from school, Elizabeth stopped by the Asian Garden restaurant, picked up a takeout meal for Jack and dropped it off at the precinct. On her way back outside she ran into one of Jack's friends, Steve Fisher.

"Hey, what are you doing out this way?" Steve asked.

"I stopped off to get Jack some dinner. I left it at the desk if you see him," Elizabeth replied.

"Where is he?" Steve asked.

"The desk sergeant said that he was out investigating a burglary," Elizabeth responded.

As they exchanged pleasantries, Officer Blake Mackland walked up. "Hey Steve," he stated as his eyes never drifted from Elizabeth.

"Blake…Blake," Steve called out several times until he obtained his attention. "This is Thornton's girlfriend, Elizabeth Thatcher."

"Oh, so you're the reason why we never see him anymore," Blake stated.

"What's that mean? You see him at work every day," she replied.

"Well, it's not just him; the other guys when they start dating someone they blow us off. We used to play basketball several times a week, but the group is down to three guys now; not enough for two teams," Blake explained.

"Don't listen to him, Elizabeth. Jack is where he wants to be," Steve commented as he attempted to remove her sudden look of confusion.

"I need to get going and turn my dog outside. It was nice seeing you Steve. Oh, and it was nice meeting you, Blake," she stated as she continued out into the parking lot.

"Why did you have to say that?" Steve asked.

"Say what?"

"Blake, there is no wonder why you have no girlfriend."

"What are you talking about; I've had girlfriends."

"Blake, having girlfriends and a special girl are two different things."

"Wait, did you say her name is Elizabeth Thatcher?" Blake asked.

"Yes, why?"

"Does she work?" Blake asked.

"Yes, she's an elementary school teacher."

"Yea, that's her. No wonder Jack is hanging out with the rich bit…."

"Watch your language Blake. That's Thornton's girlfriend, and he won't appreciate you calling her names. Besides, what are you talking about?"

"She's rich; like as in she could buy all of us, including Jack."

"What are you talking about?" Steve asked; clearly confused by the vision Blake was attempting to portray of Elizabeth as a rich brat which didn't mesh with what he knew of her.

"There was a story in the business section last week about the money makers in the area and William Thatcher was interviewed."

"So, Thatcher is a common name; it doesn't mean it was her father."

"Maybe not, but he did say that his greatest accomplishment were his daughters, and I remember one of them was named Elizabeth and she is a school teacher."

"So, Thornton probably knows, and doesn't care. Besides, this is the first time you've met her. I've been around her quite a bit and she is nothing like you're making her out to be," Steve was matter of fact as he attempted to put Blake in his place.

Steve continued, "Watch your mouth around Jack. He really likes this girl, so don't tease him or push the rich stuff. I'm sure he doesn't want to hear it."

A week passed with Jack spending every evening with Elizabeth that he wasn't working. By all accounts, it appeared that he was where he wanted to be. However, with thoughts of what his brother in blue had said about those guys backing away from the group when they started dating, she wondered.

"Jack, don't you miss spending time with your brothers?" she asked as they sat on the sofa pretending to watch the news.

"Don't you mean my brother, Tom?"

"No, your brothers in blue; don't you miss spending time with them?"

"Do you mean instead of being with you?" He turned to face her as his finger under her chin lifted her lips to him.

Her lips softened immediately upon his touch as each kiss that followed pushed the thought of her monopolizing his time farther and farther back into the recesses of her mind.

"Somehow I don't think that their kisses would be as enjoyable," he joked.

Seeing her furrowed brow, he felt the need to explain, "Uh, that really didn't come out like I'd intended."

Elizabeth leaned closer and as her lips tickled his earlobe she whispered, "I forgot the question…"

His arm slipped around her waist as he pulled her close; their lips were much like magnets, and the pull toward each other was undeniable. He leaned her back against the soft, fluffy arm of the sofa as she easily felt his body pressing against hers.

His fingers brushed several strands of hair away from her face and behind her ear as his palms cradled her face. "I love you Elizabeth; you know that, right?"

As her eyes watered, she said nothing but gently shook her head up and down. His lips were firm as they pressed against her neck, moving up along her jaw line and back to her lips.

His tongue slipped through the slight opening in her mouth as he felt her body squirm slightly, settling down deeper into the sofa cushion. As his tongue ran across the soft skin on the inside of her mouth, he felt her arms around his shoulders pulling him closer, as if that was even a possibility.

Her soft moans stoked his enthusiasm as it became quite evident that the heat from their bodies was easily seeping through their clothing. Jack's hand slipped under Elizabeth's blouse as his palm rested along her ribcage.

Her skin felt electrified and much like she was on fire as his hand moved slowly up her body. He stopped just shy of cupping her left breast when Elizabeth's hand covered his.

"Jack please stop," she breathlessly whispered as her free hand on his chest pushed him back slightly.

He leaned back, giving them some space as he caught her eyes, "I'm sorry."

"No Jack, I'm the one who's sorry," she scooted out from under him and sat up. "Sometimes I feel like I'm expecting too much from you in this relationship."

"What do you mean?" he asked as he reached over and took hold of her hands.

"Jack, sometimes I just feel like my views are so antiquated; like I'm the only woman around who feels this way, and I'm dragging you along with me."

Jack reached up and wiped the few tears that tried to slip over her eyelid unnoticed, "Elizabeth, you aren't dragging me anywhere, and even if you were, you can be assured that I want to be there."

Jack leaned forward and kissed her forehead, "I'm sorry that I…well, I just shouldn't have done it, but in my defense, sometimes when I'm with you; no, if I'm completely honest, it's every time I'm with you, I seem to lose myself in us. I want you, Elizabeth, but I'm doing my best to wait."

Jack stood up from the sofa and held out his hand. Placing her hand into his, he helped her up, "I'm going home now, because I don't want you to feel uncomfortable, and maybe we just need a little space. I'll call you in the morning, okay?"

"I'm sorry, Jack…" she whispered as he placed his finger to her lips to silence her. He leaned closer and whispered back into her ear, "I love you and you have nothing to feel sorry about." Jack kissed her cheek and as he stepped back he brought her hand up to his lips, "Sleep well. I'll talk with you in the morning."

Elizabeth stood in the doorway and watched as Jack disappeared down the hallway toward the elevator. She felt lucky to have such an understanding man in her life, but couldn't help feeling guilty as well. All of the unmarried women she knew in her age group had long since lost their virginity. She couldn't speak to how they felt when it happened, but from what she could see, they had accepted the change, moved on with dignity and apparently never looked back.

Many of her friends lived with their long term boyfriends, while others seemed to have someone new in their lives at the drop of a hat. She wondered how they could give that part of themselves to someone who apparently didn't find it to be so special; someone who would simply move on when they were bored, felt confined or decided that a serious relationship conflicted with their free spirit.

Elizabeth closed her door, slipped the deadbolt lock into place, and walked back to her bedroom. She slipped into her pajamas, pulled her bedding back and sat on the side of her bed. Reaching into her bedside table, she removed her journal and favorite writing pen. Sitting in bed, she drew her knees up, rested a pillow on them, opened her journal and did her best to release her feelings of uncertainty, morality, confusion and misguided guilt…

" _ **I love you; that is and never will be a concept I ponder, for I am certain beyond measure of my feelings for you. You stuck with me through good times and most certainly the bad without passing judgment or pushing your own agenda. Why? When you could most likely have any woman you want, why are you content to wait on me? I'm truly nothing special; and difficult at times, so much so that in other relationships, they have simply walked away.**_

 _ **But then again, why is it that in this day and age, women seem more upset over misplacing their cell phone than they do over losing their virginity? One has a quick fix, while the other is a choice which cannot be reversed. I'm all for being in love and giving of yourself, but it is too easy for people to simply love the one they're with for the time they are together and simply move on when the going gets rough?**_

 _ **Being in a committed relationship means much more that simply committing yourself until you get what you want. It means knowing that there will be rocky times as well as joyous ones; it means loving the one you are committed to even when you find it difficult to like them, and it means loving them so much that you want only the best for them, even if that does not include you. That being said, if your needs aren't being met and you are unhappy, feel claustrophobic, or uncomfortable with how things are progressing, it may be necessary to separate yourself from the relationship even temporarily to gain true perspective of what you need to make you happy and content.**_

 _ **I know we've had the virginity discussion umpteen times, and although you consistently say you'll wait until the time is right, you have needs and at least at the present time, they are not being met. As a result, misguided or not, I do feel guilty. However, this is me; it's how I feel, for I believe that my naked body should only belong to the one man who has fallen in love with my open heart, and my naked soul."**_

Jack pulled into his apartment complex and before parking his truck, Blake sent him a text…

"Hey, getting guys together for a game. I'm sure you're busy, but if not, meet us at the gym…"

Jack sat in his truck for a moment. There was no surprise that he had some pent up energy to release, and as such, he decided that meeting up with the guys for a game of b-ball was just what he needed.

He shifted his truck into reverse, backed out of his parking space and headed for the gym at the precinct.

"Whoa, I really wasn't expecting to see you…trouble in paradise?" Blake asked.

"No, what are you talking about?"

"We just haven't seen you except for work in months. You're always with your girl, but I can understand why," Blake laughed.

"Blake, knock it off," Steve stated before turning his attention to Jack, "Don't pay any attention to him."

Too late, Jack was intrigued, "What are you talking about?"

"Well, your girlfriend is rich; I'd hang on to her too. You're a lucky guy. Just think about it Jack, you can retire early," Blake quickly explained.

"Jack, don't listen to him. Come on, let's play…" Steve remarked, hoping to sway the conversation in another direction, but realizing that it wasn't happening.

As Jack pushed, Blake was more than happy to offer the information he'd found. Not surprisingly, Jack obviously confused, excused himself.

Sitting in his truck he sent out a text to Elizabeth…

"U still up…? Wanted 2 talk 2 u about something…"

Thinking it was odd, but assuming maybe they needed to have another relationship talk she quickly returned the text… "Sure, come on over. It's a beautiful nite; do you want 2 talk out in the courtyard?"

"We need privacy…"

Glancing outside, she texted back… "Courtyard is empty, but now I'm concerned. Come 2 my apt…"

While waiting, she paced. Uncertain what this was pertaining to, she could only assume it had to do with needs and wants and what he wasn't getting out of the relationship. After all, it's one thing to say you understand and will wait, but it's another to be constantly slapped in the face with the need, want and desire and to be consistently shut down. She knew the feeling, and although she was the one shutting him down, she also felt the need, want and desire as well.

She was waiting at the door when he exited the elevator and the expression on his face told her that something was wrong, but she was unable to read into it further.

She held the door open as he walked inside; she closed the door behind him, walked into the room and offered him a seat.

"I think I'll stand," he stated in a curt tone.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

The accusatory tone was much like a punch in the gut as she decided to take a seat, "I'm sorry but I don't know what you're talking about."

"You're rich…?"

"Is that a question, or some type of accusation?"

"Is it true?"

"Jack, I didn't think it was important…"

"So it is true. WOW, you must have thought I was a chump; I mean, taking you camping… you must have enjoyed the laugh."

Hearing Jack's tone of voice caused Baloo to leave his bed and sit next to Elizabeth, feeling the need to be her protector.

"Jack, please sit down," she asked as he began pacing the floor. "I loved camping; I love spending time with you, Jack."

"Elizabeth, we've been together for almost a year; I've met your parents, albeit at a restaurant, but no one apparently felt the need to tell me that you're rich?"

"Jack, I'm not rich; my parents are the ones with the money. They paid for my schooling, but I bought my Jeep, I pay my rent, and I wouldn't want it any other way. I work hard for what I have, and I take offense that you…you of all people would question my integrity."

As she took a much needed breath, the words kept firing, "What is it about my life that makes you think I am anything like what you're portraying? Do I seem shallow, entitled, or have I ever given you the impression that I'm not happy with my lifestyle?"

"No, but you should have told me. I shouldn't have had to hear it from someone else."

"Who told you? I mean you left here to go home, so what happened between here and there?" she asked.

"I went to play basketball with the guys," he advised.

"Well, that's good. You need to spend more time with your friends; maybe both of us do. But how did the topic of my finances come up?"

"Blake told me. Everyone must be laughing at me right now. We've been dating so long and apparently I'm the only one left in the dark. So, thank you for the consideration, Elizabeth."

"Consideration? Consideration for what? Does the fact that my father has done well in business have anything to do with us?" she asked, her own voice taking on an angered tone.

"It's embarrassing; I can't even imagine what your dad thinks of me. There is no way that I can compete with your upbringing."

"What was I supposed to say, 'oh, I'll have the Chicken Marsala, and by the way, Jack, my parents are rich,'" she snapped back. "Besides, does it have any impact on how you feel about me? Because my understanding is that when you left here a little while ago, you loved me. I have not changed since then, but apparently you have."

"I still love you, but I feel like I've been lied to," he returned the quipped comment.

"You know, this is certainly not what I expected when you asked to come over, but since you're here and want to know, here it is…" she began, but felt the oxygen strangling her as her chest tightened.

"First of all, I have never asked you to compete for me, nor would I ever want you to. Secondly, my dad is a wonderful man. Yes, he has money, but he doesn't flaunt it, nor does he make others feel inferior if they don't have it. Thirdly, my parents think the world of you; they aren't laughing behind your back, nor are they disappointed because you don't have the financial means to give me everything; I already have everything I need, or at least I thought I did. And lastly, but probably most importantly, I thought you knew me, that you could see into my soul and knew me, the real me, but I guess I was wrong," her voice was sharp, piercing if you will, as he now knew that opening this Pandora's box was detrimental to what they were working hard to build between them.

"I do know you, or at least I thought I did, but I don't understand why you'd keep this from me."

"My father went to community college; there was a period where my two sisters and I shared a bedroom; there were a few years when my parents didn't have the money to give us a birthday party, so they said that family celebrations with handmade gifts were special, and there wasn't money in my family when we were kids for any of the girls to take lessons in dance, music or athletics so we learned things on our own. Oh, and at the age of sixteen, I got a speeding ticket and a parking ticket last year. I never mentioned those things to you either, but it's part of my life."

"Why didn't you tell me about your parking ticket?"

"WOW Jack, are you serious?" She couldn't believe his accusatory tone, wondering what was truly behind his change in attitude. "I didn't tell you because I didn't want you trying to take care of it for me. I parked in the wrong place; I did it, and I had to take care of it."

With Baloo standing by her side, Elizabeth walked to the door and turned the knob. "What are you doing," he asked.

"Before we say anymore; before we put out there things that can't be taken back, I think it's time that we said goodnight," she offered while standing by the open doorway.

"We're not done…"

She glanced into his eyes, "Oh yes, I'm done…"

"You're willing to just give up?"

"I've never given up on anything and I don't intend to now, but for some reason, money or the lack there of seems to be an issue for you, or is something else really the problem?"

"Lack of honesty is the problem."

"Look Jack, I have not been dishonest. But for some reason, you came over here treating me as if I had something to hide, something that I chose to keep from you. You couldn't be farther from the truth, but if that's how you feel, then there is no honesty and trust between us, in which case there is no us."

Jack stood in the doorway, partly inside and partly outside of her apartment. He didn't want to leave. The truth was he didn't know why he reacted as he did. He knew Elizabeth; he loved Elizabeth, and rich, poor or middle class, his feelings for her would not change. But there he was in the middle of an argument that he'd started and for a reason that he didn't really understand. All he wanted to do was to step out into the hallway, turn back time, and when she opened the door, take her in his arms and hold her tight.

Jack had barely stepped outside into the hallway of her apartment building before the door closed against him. As he walked down the hallway, several people passed him, and although it was his imagination, he felt as though they were staring and chuckling at his lack of background information on his girlfriend.

Elizabeth leaned her back against the door as the rug on the hardwood floor slipped away and she slid down the wood frame, finally sitting in a heap on the floor. With her arms around Baloo, she cried, eventually falling asleep.

Several hours later, she woke, pulled herself up from the floor and encouraged Baloo to follow her to bed. As a puppy, she recalled dressing him up and allowing him to sleep with her. As he grew, he preferred sleeping on the sofa, but on this occasion, sensing her sadness, he willingly climbed up in bed and snuggled against her body as both of them attempted to go to sleep but only one of them managed to succeed.

Elizabeth sat up in bed, wiped her eyes and pulled her journal from the drawer of her bedside table. Opening its leather bound cover she flipped to her most recent entry and read it over and over again. Clicking her pen open, she flipped the page. Not wanting her thoughts from one experience to the other to blend with no explanation, she began a new entry…

" _ **How are we to know what information is essential, arbitrary, take it or leave it, gotta know or makes no difference? Why does something that has had little impact on the person I am, paint me in such a disapproving light? And why does the person I assumed knew me better than anyone else ever has take such an accusatory tone as if I am being deceitful?**_

 _ **I had a wonderful upbringing, great parents and I am grateful to have lived my life. Like everyone else, I have had joy, tears, struggles and triumphs, but each and every experience has made me the woman that I am today, thankful for what I have and the people I have come to know.**_

 _ **The lessons I have learned come from my times of joy as well as despair. I do my best to handle situations on my own, enjoying my feeling of independence. However, when in times of trouble, I gladly seek emotional support from those closest to me. I am not a loner, but will never base my happiness upon the actions of another person. To do so is unfair and destructive.**_

 _ **My worst days should never be confused for a sign of weakness, for in my times of difficulty, drama and strife, I have actually found myself to be fighting the hardest to survive. As silly as I find this entire argument, I can only base it on my feelings. Apparently it has impacted you more than I ever dreamed, but why? Is it possible that issues of intimacy are pushing you to seek some distance between us? Keep pushing and you very well may get your wish."**_

A week passed and neither one heard from the other. Jack admittedly drove passed her apartment complex several times but his foot fought with his head over whether or not he should stop. Needless to say, his foot remained on the gas pedal as he continued down her street.

At the end of the first week, Elizabeth received some exciting news. She rushed home, took care of Baloo, and sat down at the kitchen table to call Jack. She really wanted to put an end to the silliness of this argument and truthfully he was the first person she wanted to tell. As his answering machine picked up and his invitation to leave a message was made, she did as he suggested…

"Hi Jack, I wanted to say I'm sorry, I miss you, and um, I also wanted to tell you that I was selected for Teacher of the Year…"

Before hanging up the phone she realized that her voice was down, and made the message, even with the exciting news contained within, sound depressing. His voice in his greeting sounded so cheery, suddenly she was disappointed that he wasn't outwardly upset at their separation. As a result she cancelled the message and hung up the phone. If she had thought about it, however, she'd have realized that his answering machine recording was done while they were actively dating, each of them happy in their new found relationship.

On the evenings where Jack didn't work, he returned to the gym and to the group of his brothers in blue who played basketball. The guys found his attitude to be gruff, and he often snapped out orders on the court, taking the fun out of the game for many of his fellow officers and detectives.

Two and a half weeks after Jack and Elizabeth apparently broke up, Steve pulled Jack aside, "Hey man, I've tried to get you to talk and you won't. I know something's wrong, and I can only assume that you and Elizabeth are having problems."

"It's none of your business," Jack angrily snapped back.

"Maybe not, but you're a good friend of mine, and if it's over what Blake said before, it's not worth giving up what you had with her," Steve's voice remained calm.

"She lied to me…"

"Jack, I'm sure you remember that undercover case you helped out on in Wake Forest a few months back," the subject brought up by Steve, had Jack quickly explaining that this was different.

"Jack, it isn't different. I'm assuming that you never told her."

"Of course I didn't tell her. It had nothing to do with how I felt about her."

"Are you telling me that you don't love her anymore, because of what Blake said? You say she lied to you but aren't you a bit hypocritical?"

"What do you mean?"

"Jack, you pretended to be the husband of a woman who was looking to adopt a black market baby. You had to kiss your 'wife' to make it seem real, so you're telling me that you didn't need to tell her?"

"I know that Steve, but Melissa Graves acted as my wife. She's an officer for God's sake. There was nothing else to it. I didn't lie to Elizabeth. And before you say anything else, I do still love her."

"She didn't lie to you either. Maybe it would be one thing if the money was hers, and not her parents, but it wasn't, so you'd better talk to her and apologize."

Seeing their emotional conversation, Detective Ed Aielo asked, "What's the matter with you, Jack?"

"Nothing, come on, let's get this game going," Jack replied.

Thinking it was funny, Blake did exactly what Steve had advised him against and he prodded Jack about Elizabeth. "Hey, are you out of the money now? No longer in Daddy Warbucks' will?"

"Cut it out Blake. I don't need to hear this from you. Come on, are we playing or not?" Jack continued bouncing the ball as he waited for the guys to return to playing formation.

During one play, while Jack and Blake both fought over the ball, Blake laughed, "If you aren't going to date her, I want to. I've got my eye on a new pickup truck…"

**BAM…** Jack released the ball and punched Blake in the face, knocking him to the floor.

Blake jumped up and wiped the blood from his split lip before approaching Jack. Ed grabbed Blake, while Steve held on to Jack, keeping them both separated while the accusations and comments flew.

"Keep your hands off of her."

"If you don't want her it shouldn't matter to you. By the way, does she act like a spoiled little rich brat?"

Jack fought with Steve, doing his best to draw his fist back for a second punch. "Jack, knock it off. He's just trying to goad you into a fight."

"Besides, I don't care how she acts, because any negatives will be outweighed by her money."

"It isn't her money. It belongs to her parents."

"Well, no money, but she certainly is eye candy."

Jack broke free and before Ed and Steve knew it, both men, previously friends, albeit not close, were wrestling on the gym floor. By the time everything was said and done, Blake's favorite t-shirt was torn and his lip was again bleeding, while Jack was nursing a black eye.

As the week continued, Jack made several calls to Elizabeth's cell phone, each time reaching her voice mail. Unfortunately Jack was unaware that Elizabeth, in her growing anger over how he'd accused her of lying to him, had blocked his number, so messages he left, she never received.

As days passed, multiplying and equaling weeks with no contact between them, each one did nothing but think about the other. Neither of them was happy as each one missed what they thought they were building between them. Elizabeth expected an apology, while Jack, realizing his behavior was boorish, found it harder as time passed to say he was sorry, especially since he wasn't initially certain why he acted as he did.

Friday night arrived; it was the first night Jack had off in what seemed like forever. He sat in his den with a full beer in his hand, listening to his "Go to" station of music on his Sonos. Every song that played reminded him of Elizabeth, the love he had for her and their dreams for the future.

He swallowed hard wondering if she had a date, after all, it was Friday night. Then the soft sounds of John Mayer's song "Dreaming With a Broken Heart" began to fill the airwaves.

 _ **When you're dreaming with a broken heart  
The waking up is the hardest part  
You roll outta bed and down on your knees  
And for a moment you can hardly breathe  
Wondering, "Was she really here?  
Is she standing in my room?"  
No she's not, 'cause she's gone, gone, gone, gone, gone...**_

 _ **When you're dreaming with a broken heart  
The giving up is the hardest part  
She takes you in with her crying eyes  
Then all at once you have to say goodbye  
Wondering, "Could you stay my love?  
Will you wake up by my side?"  
No she can't, 'cause she's gone, gone, gone, gone, gone...**_

 _ **Now do I have to fall asleep with roses in my hand?  
Do I have to fall asleep with roses in my hand?  
Do I have to fall asleep with roses in my hand?  
Do I have to fall asleep with roses in my, roses in my hand?  
would you get them if I did?  
No you won't, 'cause you're gone, gone, gone, gone, gone...**_

 _ **When you're dreaming with a broken heart  
The waking up is the hardest part **_

Each note, every word brought to life the reality of what he'd done, the accusation he made which broke down the trust and honesty that they'd been working so hard to build.

Jack grabbed a magazine from the coffee table, anxiously flipping through its pages but having no interest in any of the articles. That is until a simple saying on a full page ad caught his eye…

 _ **If a girl is stupid enough**_

 _ **to love you after you have broken her heart**_

 _ **it is guaranteed**_

 _ **that she is the one…**_

He poured out the beer he'd recently opened but had not tasted, showered, changed and was walking out the door of his apartment twenty minutes later.

Sitting in front of her apartment building, he sat in his truck doing his best to think of what he could say to apologize for his behavior. Not only did he make accusations that she didn't deserve, but he'd allowed this rift between them to go on for weeks. Was it too late to apologize? Had she already moved on? Would she give him another chance to make things right? Too many questions and all he had to answer then was his imagination and it was running wild.

Dressed in his favorite dark grey suit, he held a bouquet of yellow roses in his hand when he knocked unexpectedly on her door.

As the door opened, his heart pounded. It was as if she was waiting on him to pick her up for a date. There she stood just inside her apartment wearing a navy blue shirt dress with long sleeves that were drawn up to ¾ length; there was five red buttons going from the collarless neckline all the way down to just below her waist. The dress was pleated and flared out at the waist to a length between her ankle and knee. The outfit was finished off by a pair of red pump heels.

Her hair was loose as the auburn curls cascaded across her shoulders and down her back. If possible, she was even more beautiful than the last time he'd seen her.

Jack stood in awe as his eyes moved from hers down to her shoes and back up again. He felt like a nervous school boy as he stood in the doorway hoping that she would invite him in but then wondering why she was dressed up on a known 'date night.'

Choosing to speak with him in the hallway, she asked "Jack, what are you doing here?"

"I've been calling and leaving you messages, but you haven't responded. So I thought I'd come by and see if we could talk," he replied as he stretched out his hand which held the bouquet of roses, yellow for what he'd heard meant that he was sorry…oh, he was so very sorry.

Elizabeth took the roses from his hand and thanked him for his thoughtfulness before adding, "Tonight isn't a good night."

Although he was taken by her appearance, it never dawned on him that she might have plans for the evening, so he pushed, "Please, I need to talk to you."

As many of her neighbors walked down the hallway, Elizabeth opened the door and invited him inside. As the door closed she spoke, her emotions at not having seen him in weeks were close to controlling her, "Jack, I think you said everything that was needed the last time we saw each other."

He could see the glassy look in her eyes, knowing immediately that it came from the tears that quickly pooled and threatened to spill down her cheeks. As he stepped forward, she backed away. "You look beautiful; are you going somewhere?"

"I have plans tonight," she replied.

He suddenly felt lightheaded, almost as if his heart had stopped beating. "May I ask where you're going? Is it a date?"

Before Elizabeth could respond, there was a knock on the door. Jack felt as though his shoes were nailed to the floor. Part of him was embarrassed to be there, but the bigger part of him and the one that won out refused to move.

Elizabeth opened the door and invited her 'date' inside. Feeling very uncomfortable, she began with the introductions, "Jack, this is Phillip Kessler. Phillip, this is Jack Thornton."

As all three of them stood in silence, Phillip glanced back and forth between Jack and Elizabeth, eventually speaking up, "Is Jack taking you?"

"Yes…No" they spoke in unison.

"Look, I don't mind taking you, but experiences that my fiancé and I have had has shown me that you don't get involved in relationship issues that you know nothing about. There is something going on between you two," Phillip stated as he started moving toward the door. "I don't know what's going on here, but I'm going to leave you two to sort it out."

Before Elizabeth knew it, her ride and 'date' to the awards dinner was gone.

"You had a date with a guy who's engaged. What's going on?" Jack asked as it was clear that he was confused.

"It wasn't a date. Phillip and I teach together, and he was getting an award tonight and so was I. His fiancé, Lindsey is out of town, so we decided to go together," she explained.

"What award are you getting?" he asked.

"Teacher of the Year."

Before either of them realized what had happened, his arms around her waist lifted her off the ground. As her body slid down his, he felt her warmth devour him. The familiar scent of her floral perfume and lilac and vanilla shampoo consumed him, leaving him speechless.

"I'm sorry Jack, I guess we do need to talk, but I really can't right now. I need to leave."

"Don't you need a date?"

"No, I can go by myself. By the way, why are you dressed up?"

"I was coming here to beg your forgiveness, to tell you something and hopefully talk you into having dinner with me."

"What?"

"Huh?"

"Jack, you said that you had something to tell me. What is it?"

"Well, three things… first, since we've been together, I was involved in an undercover assignment in another city."

"Okay, should that surprise me?"

"No, but I was undercover as the husband of a woman who wanted to adopt a baby from a black market ring."

"Husband…? How into your role did you have to get?"

"When they told us that they had a baby for us, I…we, well, I kissed her."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because it was just work. There was nothing else to it."

"Hmm…other than the fact that you kissed her; it really had nothing to do with us? Interesting...much like the money issue…"

"Elizabeth, it was nothing like when I've kissed you."

"Well, I'd hope not. Did you catch the bad guys?"

"We did."

"Well that's good; I guess your role was worthwhile then. I wish you had told me, but maybe in the future you will. Jack, you said there were three things…"

Jack took hold of her hand. As he waited to see if she pulled away, he felt her fingers curl around his. "Elizabeth, I love you and I miss you. I'm sorry that I confronted you as I did; it was unfair, and you didn't deserve it."

"No I didn't Jack. I thought we had gotten to a point where we could talk things through, no accusations, only compromise and understanding, neither of which I received from you. So, do you want to tell me what this was really about?"

"I don't know."

"I don't believe that, and I don't think you do either. So why…why did you jump down my throat like you did?"

Jack looked down, "Elizabeth, I'm not used to intimacy without intimacy. I would never push you into doing something you didn't feel comfortable with, so I think subconsciously when I heard about the money it was easy to use that to push you away. I was getting so close; too close maybe, and it scared me." He stepped closer, "The fact is; I don't want to push you away. I love you, and truly my life is nothing without you in it. I don't know what else I can say other than I'm sorry, and I hope you can forgive me."

But Jack, you said that you were fine with waiting. Are you now saying you aren't?"

"I want you Elizabeth, I won't deny it nor will I apologize for it. I'm struggling, but the time for us to be together isn't right unless it's right for both of us. So, the answer to your question is that I will wait for you…that is, if you're still willing to have me in your life."

Her eyes locked upon his. Although she was angered and confused by his tirade, in her heart she knew that it truly wasn't about money. Down deep inside, she knew there was another issue.

Although she still wanted to wait to consummate their love, she also knew that she was quick to enjoy getting their fires burning but was just as fast to apply the brakes when their flames got too hot. As a result, she needed to accept some of the responsibility for the issue that practically tore them apart.

"Jack, I do love you, but I can't be someone I'm not. So…"

Jack interrupted before she could finish her thought, "Elizabeth, I love you and I don't want you to be anything or anyone other than yourself. After all you are who I fell in love with…"

Although she desperately wanted to fall into his arms, she felt the need to play it cool, "Jack, I really need to leave, but can we talk tomorrow?"

Disappointed that she didn't want him to escort her, but understanding that he had some making up to do, he agreed, "Will you call me tomorrow? I'll come over or meet you somewhere."

"I promise…"

Jack felt optimistic, while Elizabeth observed hope in his eyes. When Jack reached the door, Elizabeth called out, stopping him in his tracks.

She approached him. No longer able to play it cool and desiring to share this special occasion with him she offered, "It would be a shame for you to be all dressed up with no place to go. Would you like to accompany me to the Convention Center?"

"Are you sure?"

Elizabeth stepped closer, and as her lips met his, the familiarity returned and the answer to his question was softly and tenderly received. Her thumb gently brushed across the slight remembrance of a bruise under his left eye, "What happened?"

"It was an unfortunate scuffle on the basketball court."

"Hmm, maybe we should go back to spending our evenings together."

"I'd like that; I'd like that very much."

To be continued…

To those of you on the facebook fan fiction pages, I will post a few pictures shortly that go along with this chapter. I hope you enjoy…


End file.
